Josh Hockett made a strange and graphic statement during a UFC media day appearance. He declared he would defeat Curtis Blaydes and described a disturbing scenario involving attaching Blaydes' head to Alex Pereira's body, then stitching together ranked fighters in a human centipede-like formation. Hockett claimed he would walk this creation on a leash in his yard under his "Incredible Hulk" moniker. The bizarre speech drew comparisons to recent unusual behavior from other fighters and left observers questioning what substances may have influenced his statements.
Josh Hockett turned a routine UFC media day appearance into a spectacle on April 8, delivering a graphic and disjointed speech that left observers and reporters struggling to make sense of what they had just witnessed.
Hockett, who fights under the nickname "Incredible Hulk," opened by declaring his intention to defeat Curtis Blaydes. He then veered into deeply strange territory, describing a scenario in which he would sever Blaydes' head and attach it to the body of light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. From there, the speech escalated further, with Hockett outlining a plan to stitch together a lineup of ranked fighters in a human centipede-like formation and parade the creation around his yard on a leash. The comments drew immediate comparisons to other recent incidents of unusual fighter behavior, with onlookers openly questioning what may have influenced his state of mind.
Blaydes, ranked fourth in the heavyweight division, carries a 19-6-0 record at 35 years old. The Chicago-born Elevation Fight Team member is one of the division's most prolific grapplers, averaging 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes, and stands six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach.
Pereira, the reigning light heavyweight champion representing Brazil, holds a 13-4-0 record at 38 years of age. The Teixeira MMA and Fitness product is equally imposing physically at six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach, and has built a reputation as one of the sport's most dangerous strikers, landing 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy.
Why it matters
- Hockett's remarks have drawn significant attention to whatever matchup he is building toward, regardless of the intent behind the speech.
- Naming Blaydes specifically places a ranked heavyweight in the conversation, raising questions about a potential booking.
- The incident adds to a growing pattern of unusual pre-fight media behavior drawing scrutiny from within the sport.
