Heavyweight Curtis Blaydes commented on Josh Hewett's provocative behavior leading up to their fight. Blaydes said Hewett is trying to act like Colby Covington, though he acknowledged that Covington was actually good at his trash talk approach. Blaydes suggested that Hewett is simply trying to create viral video moments and stated he won't engage with him outside of fight week. He characterized interacting with Hewett at any other time as a waste of time. Blaydes made clear this confrontational style isn't for him.
Curtis Blaydes has weighed in on the pre-fight antics of Josh Hewett, drawing an unflattering comparison to one of MMA's most well-known trash talkers ahead of their upcoming heavyweight bout.
Blaydes, who holds a 19-6-0 record and is ranked fourth in the UFC heavyweight division, said Hewett's provocative behavior reminds him of welterweight veteran Colby Covington. The 35-year-old from Elevation Fight Team stopped short of a straight dismissal, however, acknowledging that Covington at least executes the trash-talk formula with genuine skill. The implication was clear: Hewett does not. Blaydes, a six-foot-four heavyweight with an 80-inch reach, is one of the division's most technically precise fighters, landing significant strikes at a 50 percent accuracy rate and averaging more than five takedowns per 15 minutes.
Covington, the 38-year-old former interim welterweight champion nicknamed "Chaos," built a career around psychological pressure, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes and consistent output at 3.81 significant strikes per minute across a 17-5-0 record. Blaydes conceded that whatever one thinks of Covington's persona, the approach was genuine and effective.
As for Hewett, Blaydes was blunt. He suggested Hewett is engineering moments for social media rather than getting inside an opponent's head, and said he has no intention of engaging with him outside of fight week, describing any other interaction as a waste of his time.
Why it matters
- Blaydes is ranked fourth at heavyweight, meaning a strong performance keeps him in title contention
- His refusal to engage with mind games signals a focused, business-first camp approach
- The stylistic contrast between Blaydes's wrestling-heavy precision and Hewett's apparent reliance on pre-fight theater sets a clear narrative entering fight week
