Curtis Blaydes walked out of UFC 327 with a $100,000 bonus and a battered face after a wild three-round heavyweight battle with Josh Hokit in Miami.
Blaydes and Hokit went the distance in a bout that earned Fight of the Night honors, with the heavyweights combining for more than 350 strikes landed. In the aftermath, Blaydes revealed he suffered a fractured orbital bone and a broken nose, while Hokit reported no major injuries.
Reflecting on the war, Blaydes summed up his effort by saying, "Emptied the clip, threw the gun," before adding, "That SOB is tougher to kill than he looks." He also asked, "Did we save heavyweight chat?"
The clash has already been described as an early contender for Fight of the Year in 2026. Hokit is wasting no time moving forward, as he is booked to fight Derrick Lewis in June at the UFC White House card.
That same card is set to feature Ciryl Gane vs. Alex Pereira in an interim heavyweight title fight. The UFC has also announced the signing of Olympic champion Gable Steveson to the heavyweight roster, further stacking the division’s future.
