Curtis Blaydes has responded to provocative behavior from opponent Josh Hewitt ahead of their UFC 327 matchup. Blaydes compared Hewitt to Colby Covington, saying Hewitt is trying to occupy that niche but noted that Covington was actually skilled to back it up. The heavyweight contender stated that Hewitt is simply trying to create viral video moments. Blaydes said interacting with Hewitt before fight night would be a waste of time. He made it clear he won't engage with the promotional antics and will save his response for inside the cage on fight night.
Curtis Blaydes has made clear he has no interest in engaging with Josh Hewitt's pre-fight antics ahead of their heavyweight showdown at UFC 327, scheduled for April 11.
Blaydes, ranked fourth in the heavyweight division, brushed off Hewitt's provocative behavior by drawing a pointed comparison to Colby Covington. The 35-year-old from the United States acknowledged that Hewitt seems to be chasing the same heel role that Covington built a career on, but added a sharp qualifier — Covington, he noted, actually had the skills to back up the noise. That distinction, in Blaydes' view, is what separates legitimate trash talk from pure theater.
Standing six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, Blaydes carries a 19-6 record into the bout and has long been regarded as one of the most dangerous grapplers in the heavyweight division. He averages 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands significant strikes at 50 percent accuracy, a combination that makes him a persistent threat across all five-minute frames.
Blaydes said any interaction with Hewitt before fight night would simply be wasted energy, and that he plans to let his performance inside the cage do the talking when the two meet this Friday.
Why it matters
- Blaydes sits fourth in the heavyweight rankings, making the outcome of this fight directly relevant to title picture positioning.
- His grappling-heavy style and elite takedown volume set up a potentially punishing contrast against an opponent leaning on verbal pressure to build momentum.
- The Covington comparison reflects a broader question about whether Hewitt's promotional approach carries any genuine competitive edge.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
