Curtis Blaydes Disputes UFC 327 Loss to Josh Hokit

Heavyweight fighter believes he should have won the Fight of the Night bout via his superior wrestling.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 6:05am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the intense physical action of a UFC heavyweight fight, with overlapping planes of muscular forms, blood, and sweat, conveying the raw energy and violence of the contest.A cubist interpretation of the violent, back-and-forth battle between UFC heavyweights Blaydes and Hokit, whose disputed outcome has raised questions about MMA judging criteria.Today in Miami

UFC heavyweight Curtis Blaydes believes he should have been declared the winner of his UFC 327 bout against Josh Hokit last weekend in Miami. Despite the judges scoring the fight 29-28 in Hokit's favor, Blaydes feels his wrestling and grappling control gave him the edge and that he was surprised when Hokit's hand was raised. Blaydes suffered an orbital injury and broken nose in the violent back-and-forth fight, which earned Fight of the Night honors.

Why it matters

This dispute over the UFC 327 main card bout highlights the ongoing challenges in MMA judging, where fighters' perceptions of who won a close fight can differ from the official judges' scorecards. Blaydes' belief that his wrestling and grappling control should have been weighted more heavily by the judges raises questions about the criteria used to score MMA fights.

The details

In the UFC 327 main card fight, heavyweights Curtis Blaydes and Josh Hokit engaged in a bloody, back-and-forth battle that earned them Fight of the Night honors. Despite the judges scoring the fight 29-28 in Hokit's favor, Blaydes believes his wrestling and grappling control should have earned him the victory. Blaydes suffered an orbital injury and broken nose in the fight but says the rest of his body is uninjured.

  • The UFC 327 event took place on April 12, 2026 in Miami, Florida.

The players

Curtis Blaydes

A UFC heavyweight fighter who believes he should have been declared the winner of his UFC 327 bout against Josh Hokit.

Josh Hokit

The UFC heavyweight fighter who was declared the winner of the UFC 327 bout against Curtis Blaydes via unanimous decision.

Herb Dean

The referee who oversaw the UFC 327 bout between Blaydes and Hokit.

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What they’re saying

“I was surprised. I was expecting Herb [Dean] to pick my hand up. I really was. I was a little bit in shock. I was like, damn, I thought I did enough.”

— Curtis Blaydes, UFC Heavyweight Fighter

“It looked like, yeah, it was a hell of a fight. I won a lot of those exchanges, and he won a lot of those exchanges. It seemed split, but then you add in the wrestling. He didn't get any of his wrestling going. I Got mine going. That was really the main reason I thought I won because I knew on the strikes it was even. But then when you add the grappling, I know I won that.”

— Curtis Blaydes, UFC Heavyweight Fighter

What’s next

Blaydes has not indicated if he plans to appeal the judges' decision or seek a rematch with Hokit. The UFC has not commented on the disputed outcome of the fight.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges in MMA judging, where fighters' perceptions of who won a close fight can differ from the official judges' scorecards. Blaydes' belief that his wrestling and grappling control should have been weighted more heavily raises questions about the criteria used to score MMA fights and the need for more consistent and transparent judging standards.