Curtis Blaydes responded to Josh Hawkit's provocative behavior ahead of their fight. Blaydes stated that Hawkit wants to be like Colby Covington but noted that Covington was actually good at the persona. He said if that niche works for Hawkit, fine, but it's not Blaydes' style and he won't participate in it. Blaydes believes Hawkit is simply trying to create viral video moments. He considers any interaction with Hawkit outside of fight night to be a waste of time. The heavyweight contender made clear he won't engage with the promotional antics.
Curtis Blaydes has made it clear he has no interest in trading words with Josh Hawkit ahead of their upcoming heavyweight matchup, brushing off his opponent's provocative behavior as a calculated attempt to manufacture attention.
Blaydes, ranked fourth in the UFC heavyweight division, drew a pointed comparison between Hawkit's antics and the polarizing persona of Colby Covington. The 35-year-old American acknowledged that Covington actually excelled at playing the villain — a crucial distinction he made when separating the original from what he views as an imitation. If that approach works for Hawkit, Blaydes indicated, so be it, but he has no intention of playing along.
The six-foot-four Elevation Fight Team product carries a 19-6 record and has built his reputation on smothering, physical wrestling rather than pre-fight theater. Blaydes averages 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes, one of the more dominant grappling outputs in the division, and lands significant strikes at a 50 percent accuracy rate — a figure that speaks to the precision behind his pressure.
Covington, the 38-year-old orthodox fighter from the United States, has long been one of MMA's most recognizable and effective self-promoters, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes himself and carrying a 17-5 record across his career. Blaydes stopped short of criticism for that approach when the person behind it has the results to match the noise.
Why it matters
- Blaydes holds a top-five heavyweight ranking, meaning a strong performance carries significant title implications
- Hawkit's attempt to gain psychological ground has been flatly rejected, potentially shifting the pre-fight dynamic
- Blaydes' wrestling-heavy style offers a stark contrast to the verbal sparring Hawkit appears to be inviting
