Curtis Blaydes stated that he respects Josh Hockitt despite all the trash talk and behavior before their fight. Blaydes explained it would be insincere and hypocritical to call Hockitt names after their bout. While Blaydes said he doesn't like Hockitt's personality or his antics, he emphasized that he respects him as a fighter inside the octagon. Blaydes made it clear that he has no choice but to respect someone who can fight at that level, regardless of personal feelings about their behavior outside the cage.
Curtis Blaydes has made clear that whatever friction existed before his fight with Josh Hockitt, he walks away from the bout holding genuine respect for his opponent as a competitor.
Blaydes acknowledged that Hockitt's pre-fight antics and personality rubbed him the wrong way, but said it would be both insincere and hypocritical to tear the man down after the fact. His position was straightforward: anyone who can perform at that level inside the octagon earns respect by default, regardless of how they carry themselves outside the cage.
Blaydes, ranked fourth in the UFC heavyweight division, carries a 19-6-0 professional record and competes out of Elevation Fight Team. The 35-year-old American stands six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach and has long been one of the most technically complete grapplers in the heavyweight ranks. He averages 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands significant strikes at a rate of 3.56 per minute with 50 percent accuracy — numbers that place him among the division's most active and efficient fighters.
Why it matters
- Blaydes occupying the fourth spot in the heavyweight rankings means results and post-fight optics both carry divisional weight
- His willingness to separate personal dislike from professional respect signals a measured, competitive mindset heading into whatever comes next in the title picture
- The comments close a chapter on a contentious pre-fight build-up and shift focus back to performance rather than personality
