Curtis Blaydes dismisses Josh Hewitt's trash talk as time-wasting antics

Curtis Blaydes has made it clear he has no interest in engaging with Josh Hewitt's pre-fight theatrics ahead of their heavyweight bout at UFC 327 on April 11.

Blaydes, ranked fourth in the heavyweight division, drew a pointed comparison between Hewitt and welterweight veteran Colby Covington when addressing his opponent's provocative behavior in the lead-up to the fight. The 35-year-old acknowledged that Covington's trash-talk persona at least came backed by genuine skill inside the cage, suggesting Hewitt does not meet that same standard. Beyond that, Blaydes indicated he views any interaction with Hewitt before fight night as a straightforward waste of his time, and he has no intention of helping manufacture viral moments for his opponent's promotional campaign.

Blaydes carries a 19-6 record into the contest and has long established himself as one of the more technically complete heavyweights on the roster. Standing six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, he lands 3.56 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent accuracy rate — an unusually clean figure for the division. His grappling is equally dangerous, averaging 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes. He competes out of Elevation Fight Team.

Covington, the fighter Blaydes referenced in his comments, holds a 17-5 record and has built a career on blending relentless wrestling — 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes — with a high-volume striking output of 3.81 significant strikes per minute. Blaydes appeared to use him as a measuring stick precisely because Covington's on-paper results justify the attention his persona draws.

Why it matters

• Blaydes is ranked fourth at heavyweight, making a strong performance essential to his title positioning
• His refusal to engage with Hewitt's antics suggests a focused, business-first camp
• The style matchup pits one of the division's most efficient strikers and elite grapplers against an opponent who has leaned heavily on pre-fight psychology