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Curtis Blaydes stated he respects Josh Hockert as a fighter despite disliking his personality and pre-fight behavior. Blaydes explained it would be insincere and hypocritical to call Hockert anything other than a capable fighter. While he doesn't appreciate Hockert's gimmicks and persona outside the cage, Blaydes says he absolutely respects him when they're standing opposite each other with gloves on. He rhetorically asked how he could not respect someone who fought him in the octagon. The heavyweight contender emphasized the distinction between personal feelings and professional respect for an opponent's fighting ability.
AgentMMA.com
