Curtis Blaydes addressed the confrontational antics of Josh Hoak, comparing his approach to that of Colby Covington. Blaydes acknowledged that while Covington was actually successful with this persona, he personally wants no part in such tactics. He believes Hoak is simply trying to create viral moments for social media content. Blaydes stated that engaging with Hoak outside of fight week would be a waste of time. The heavyweight contender made it clear he won't participate in this type of promotional strategy.
Curtis Blaydes has weighed in on the attention-seeking behavior of Josh Hoak, dismissing the heavyweight's provocative tactics as little more than a bid for social media virality.
Blaydes, ranked fourth in the UFC heavyweight division with a professional record of 19-6, drew a pointed comparison between Hoak's conduct and that of Colby Covington. The 35-year-old from the United States acknowledged that Covington, known as "Chaos," actually built a successful career around his antagonistic persona, something he credits as a legitimate — if calculated — strategy. Hoak, in Blaydes' view, is simply chasing viral moments rather than executing a genuine long-term promotional approach. Blaydes made clear he has no interest in playing along, stating that engaging with Hoak outside of an official fight week would be a waste of his time.
Standing six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, Blaydes has long been one of the more technically complete fighters in the heavyweight division. Fighting out of Elevation Fight Team, "Razor" lands 3.56 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 50 percent, and his grappling credentials are equally formidable — he averages 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Covington, for his part, carries a record of 17-5 out of MMA Masters. The 38-year-old orthodox fighter averages 3.81 significant strikes per minute and has built a reputation on relentless forward pressure and a strong wrestling base, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Blaydes holds a top-five heavyweight ranking, meaning any friction with an emerging contender like Hoak carries divisional weight
- The comparison to Covington signals Blaydes sees through the tactic but won't be baited into fueling it
- Blaydes drawing a line around fight week engagement suggests any rivalry would need an official booking to move forward
