Curtis Blaydes stated that he respects Josh Hockett as a fighter despite not liking his personality or pre-fight behavior. Blaydes explained that it would be insincere and hypocritical to deny Hockett's fighting ability after their bout. While he doesn't appreciate Hockett's antics and promotional tactics outside the cage, Blaydes acknowledges that once they're in the octagon with gloves on, he has to respect his opponent's skills. He rhetorically asked how he could not respect someone who clearly can fight at a high level, separating his personal feelings from professional acknowledgment.
Curtis Blaydes has made clear he can separate personal feelings from professional respect when it comes to Josh Hockett, stating after their bout that acknowledging Hockett's ability inside the cage is simply the honest thing to do.
Blaydes said he does not enjoy Hockett's personality or the antics and promotional tactics Hockett displays outside competition, but stressed it would be insincere and hypocritical to deny the man can fight at a high level. He framed it plainly: once both men have gloves on and step into the octagon, respect for an opponent's skills becomes unavoidable.
Blaydes, known as "Razor," is ranked fourth in the UFC heavyweight division. The 35-year-old from the United States trains out of Elevation Fight Team and carries a professional record of 19-6-0. Standing six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, he is a physically imposing presence at heavyweight. His numbers back that up — he averages 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes, one of the more consistent wrestling outputs in the division, and lands strikes at a rate of 3.56 significant strikes per minute with 50 percent accuracy.
Why it matters
- Blaydes is a top-five heavyweight, so any post-fight commentary carries weight in how the division's contenders are publicly perceived.
- His willingness to credit Hockett despite apparent personal friction suggests the fight was competitive enough to demand acknowledgment.
- The remarks draw a clean line between competitive respect and personal approval, a distinction Blaydes was deliberate in making public.
