Curtis Blaydes, the mandatory crash test for Josh Hokit

Curtis Blaydes is that nightclub bouncer who asks for your ID even though you're already 40 and clearly balding. He’s the final boss before you reach the Holy Grail, the guy who reminds you that MMA isn't just about Instagram highlights, but a grim reality of having your neck crushed against the fence. If you don't have takedown defense, Blaydes doesn't just beat you: he erases you from the map.

🥊 Quick Stats

Name: Curtis "Razor" Blaydes
Record: 19-5-0
Signature: Holds the record for most takedowns in heavyweight history (14 in a single fight).

The High-Five Block

Last 5 results:

• ❌ Tom Aspinall - TKO (Punches) Round 1
• ✅ Jailton Almeida - KO (Punches) Round 2
• ❌ Sergei Pavlovich - TKO (Punches) Round 1
• ✅ Tom Aspinall - TKO (Knee injury) Round 1
• ✅ Chris Daukaus - TKO (Punches) Round 2

The Origin Story

Naperville, Illinois. The kind of place where you learn to wrestle before you learn to tie your shoes. Blaydes didn't get into MMA for the love of 4-ounce gloves, but because his 95-0 high school wrestling record wasn't paying the bills. A NJCAA national champion, he arrived in the cage with one goal: turning every opponent into a floor mat. His style is a simple math equation: Pressure + Double Leg = Panic. He’s not here to dance; he’s here to drown you under 265 pounds of muscle and old-school technique.

The Gatekeeper from Hell

For eight years, Blaydes has been the glass ceiling of the heavyweight division. You want the belt? You gotta go through the Chicago meat grinder first. He’s seen it all, taken it all. The cinderblocks from Ngannou, the uppercuts from Derrick Lewis, the speed of Aspinall. But every time people write him off, he comes back to derail a hype train. Just ask Jailton Almeida. The Brazilian thought he’d run through the division with his grappling? Blaydes turned him into a human punching bag the moment the fight hit the canvas. Curtis might not be the most flashy on the mic, but he is the ultimate litmus test. If you aren't elite, he breaks you in two rounds.

Useless Knowledge

• His nickname "Razor" comes from his knack for slicing up opponents' faces with surgical elbows in Ground and Pound.
• He has suffered from a stutter since childhood and refuses to hide it, becoming a figure of absolute resilience for his fans.
• He’s a massive pop culture and gaming nerd, a far cry from the monolithic colossus he portrays inside the cage.

The MMX Take

Against Josh Hokit, Blaydes is fighting for his survival in the top 5. Hokit is an athlete, a real one: wrestling at Fresno State and a stint in American football. But the UFC isn't the NFL. The scary stat? 5.72 takedowns per 15 minutes. That’s a hellish pace that few heavyweights can keep up with. Hokit has the fire, but Blaydes has the "Deep Water." The game plan is simple: wear the prospect out against the fence, make him feel the weight of years of experience, and finish the job with those signature "Razor" elbows. It’s a trap fight, but Blaydes is the king of traps. For your picks, it’s a lock: the wrestling hierarchy never lies.

Curtis Blaydes will remain the man who separates the contenders from the legends. Do you think he'll win his next fight? Come make your picks and challenge your buddies on MMX.

📋 On the same card: Check out all the profiles for UFC 327: Procházka vs. Ulberg