Blaydes skeptical of Hokit's heavyweight ceiling but sees path to beating Lewis

Curtis Blaydes has gone on record with a nuanced take on Josh Hokit, expressing doubt about the unbeaten prospect's long-term viability at heavyweight while simultaneously laying out how Hokit could hand Derrick Lewis a loss.

Blaydes, ranked fourth in the UFC heavyweight division, carries a 19-6-0 record and brings one of the most credible analytical perspectives in the weight class. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Elevation Fight Team, is a relentless pressure fighter who averages 3.56 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy and leads the division's elite with an extraordinary 5.38 takedown attempts per 15 minutes. That wrestling-heavy, volume-driven style gives him a sharp eye for how physical tools translate — or fail to — at the highest level.

Lewis, 41, sits at eighth in the heavyweight rankings with a 29-14-0 record. The American known as The Black Beast stands six-foot-three with a 79-inch reach and carries legitimate one-punch knockout power, though he averages 2.46 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy. He has virtually no submission threat in his game, recording zero submission attempts per 15 minutes across his career.

Hokit, meanwhile, enters the conversation as a perfect 5-0-0 at 28 years old, though his statistical profile at the UFC level remains minimal given his early career stage.

Why it matters

• Blaydes' skepticism about Hokit's heavyweight ceiling raises questions about whether the prospect's frame or athleticism is considered a long-term limitation by peers.
• Lewis, at 41 and ranked eighth, is a potential stepping-stone fight for rising contenders, making any credible breakdown of his vulnerabilities relevant to the division's landscape.
• If Blaydes sees a path for Hokit to win, it signals Lewis may be viewed as increasingly beatable by opponents who can exploit his defensive gaps and low output.