Curtis Blaydes thinks Josh Hokit may be better served going down to light heavyweight after the pair’s three-round battle, saying the smaller heavyweight may not be built to keep taking that kind of punishment at 205 pounds. Blaydes said Hokit has a good young jaw, but added that if he were in his circle he would be having serious discussions about a long-term move.
That view matters now because Hokit accepted a quick turnaround and is scheduled to face Derrick Lewis on June 14, just two months after absorbing a lot of damage against Blaydes. The quick return puts a spotlight on how much he has left in the tank, and on whether his next fight is really a heavyweight test or a step toward a different weight class.
Blaydes did not dismiss Hokit’s chances against Lewis. He said styles make matchups, and said he would lean toward Hokit if Lewis shows the same version he brought against Waldo Cortes-Acosta. He also said he would side with Lewis if the veteran comes forward the way he did in 2021, when Blaydes first met him.
But Blaydes’ larger point was hard to miss. He said taking that level of damage three or four times would leave Hokit’s jaw gone, and he made clear that he does not think Hokit can keep doing that at heavyweight for long. He said Hokit uses wrestling, but also called him a smaller heavyweight and said his jaw will not be 100% when he enters the Lewis fight.
Blaydes also refused to put Hokit in the champion conversation yet, even while noting that Hokit is undefeated in the UFC. He asked whether Hokit can keep doing that against Alexander Volkov, Derrick Lewis and Waldo Cortes-Acosta, then answered his own larger concern with a long-term warning: if the plan is to keep fighting the way he did against Blaydes, the safer path may be down.
For Hokit, the next fight will say a lot. If he can handle Lewis on June 14, the heavyweight question can wait. If he cannot, Blaydes has already pointed to the answer he thinks the sport should be considering.
