Curtis Blaydes says he respects Josh Haquit despite pre-fight trash talk

Curtis Blaydes stated he respects Josh Haquit as a fighter despite disliking Haquit's personality and pre-fight behavior. Blaydes explained it would be insincere and hypocritical to call Haquit weak when he proved he can fight at a high level. While Blaydes doesn't appreciate Haquit's antics and persona outside the cage, he acknowledges respect for him as an opponent inside the octagon. Blaydes emphasized that once the gloves are on and they're facing each other, the respect is genuine. His comments reflect a separation between personal feelings about a fighter's character and professional respect for their fighting ability.