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Curtis Blaydes stated that he respects Josh Hōkita despite the trash talk and behavior before their fight. Blaydes explained it would be insincere and hypocritical to dismiss Hōkita's fighting ability, saying the fighter can clearly compete at a high level. While Blaydes admits he doesn't like Hōkita's personality or pre-fight tactics, he acknowledges respecting him inside the octagon when they face each other with gloves on. The heavyweight contender emphasized that given Hōkita's demonstrated skills, showing respect is the only honest response. This statement reflects Blaydes' mature approach to separating personal feelings from professional respect.
AgentMMA.com
