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Curtis Blaydes stated that he respects Tai Tuivasa as a fighter despite disliking his pre-fight behavior and persona. Blaydes explained it would be insincere and hypocritical to say otherwise given Tuivasa's fighting ability. While Blaydes doesn't appreciate Tuivasa's personality and gimmicks outside the cage, he acknowledges he must respect him when they face each other in the Octagon with gloves on. The heavyweight contender emphasized that it's impossible not to respect someone who can fight at that level. His comments reflect a mature perspective on separating personal feelings from professional respect for an opponent's skills.
AgentMMA.com
