Curtis Blaydes: 'Waste of time' engaging Josh Hokit outside of UFC 327 cage
· Yahoo Sports
MIAMI – Curtis Blaydes doesn't care if it's boring. He doesn't care if it's dry. The only thing he cares about is not giving Josh Hokit what he wants.
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Despite the opposition's efforts, Blaydes (19-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) isn't playing foil for Hokit's gimmicks, which Wednesday included cosplaying as a cartoonish Mexican stereotype and hollering at UFC 327 headliner Jiri Prochazka at the host hotel.
"He just wants the clips," Blaydes told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. "Like, I seen the one with Jiri. He just wants people to be like, 'Look, he's talking sh*t to Jiri.' Because Jiri is a professional. He's not going to beat the sh*t out of you in the hotel lobby. Neither will I, because we're going to do it this weekend. So, engage with him right now. Any day besides this weekend is a waste of time."
"... He's doing the Colby Covington bit. Even, I'll give it to Colby. He's actually good. He's actually a really good wrestler. He got better with the hands. He's actually good. I don't agree with him acting like that either. But at least with him, he has something to stand on. Hokit, he knows he's not going to get paid off his actual skills in the octagon. He's like, 'Oh, OK, I'm going to be a personality. I'm going to just be the guy who, when you interview him, I say random sh*t.' I guess if you want to be in that niche, that's your niche. It's not my thing. I'm not going to engage in it."
On Thursday, Blaydes and Hokit (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) will share the stage for the first time at a pre-fight news conference in front of a crowd at Kaseya Center, the venue of Saturday's fights. Blaydes warns fans who are passionate with the "random sh*t" niche that they may be disappointed.
"The UFC can just take away my microphone," Blaydes said. "I'm not going to respond. That's what he wants. He wants the views. He wants to get that viral (moment), like (Conor) McGregor, 'Who the f*ck is that guy?' He wants that. I'm not going to give you what I want. I'm going to be dry – very, very dry."
Perhaps the only thing Blaydes is less impressed with than Hokit's attempts to promote the fight are his abilities inside the cage. Blaydes prefaced his entire media day before a single question was even asked, indicating he thought Hokit's skills were lacking.
"He doesn't believe in his hands, and he's a small heavyweight," Blaydes said. "It's hard to be a small heavyweight when you don't have any hands."
Blaydes, 35, is a perennial contender and is coming off 10-month layoff due to knee surgery and recovery. Despite Blaydes' standing in the division, the UFC offered him the unranked Hokit, who had called him out. Blaydes was surprised by the offer and it has him curious if the promotion views him as a gatekeeper.
"I don't want to say I'm a gatekeeper. But if I am, I'm good at it," Blaydes said. "You're not going to beat me unless you're legit. I don't think Hokit is legit."
If he's viewed as a gatekeeper by the powers that be, Blaydes hopes to shatter that mold with a big finish Saturday. Should he win, Blaydes already knows who he wants next.
"I'm hoping to get the winner of Waldo (Cortes-Acosta) and (Alexander) Volkov (at UFC 328), that's what I'm hoping. ... I know after this one I'm not going to get a title shot but I know if I win this one and I get somebody ranked above me and I beat them, why wouldn't I be in contention for a title shot?"
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Curtis Blaydes: 'Waste of time' engaging Josh Hokit outside of UFC 327 cage