Curtis Blaydes says he respects Josh Emmett despite pre-fight antics

Curtis Blaydes stated that he respects Josh Emmett as a fighter despite disliking his behavior and trash talk before their bout. Blaydes explained it would be insincere and hypocritical to call Emmett names after their fight, acknowledging that his opponent can genuinely fight. While Blaydes admitted he doesn't appreciate Emmett's personality or his promotional antics, he emphasized that he must respect him inside the octagon when they face each other with gloves on. The heavyweight contender expressed that not respecting someone who broke his orbital bone would be disingenuous. His comments reflect a professional attitude toward separating personal feelings from competitive respect.