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Curtis Blaydes was involved in one of the year's most spectacular fights against Josh Hokit at UFC 327. Immediately following the three-round clash, both fighters were transported to a local Miami hospital as a precautionary measure.
The final diagnosis revealed Blaydes sustained an orbital bone fracture and a broken nose as a result of the fierce exchanges with Hokit. Blaydes' management team confirmed the injuries to American media on Sunday.
Blaydes has since been discharged from the hospital and is expected to return home to Colorado soon to begin his recovery. Although he didn't secure the win on Saturday, Blaydes will head home with an additional $100,000 after he and Hokit were awarded the "Fight of the Night" bonus.
The epic battle began and ended with aggressive attacks from Hokit, who showcased superior speed and landed numerous strikes. Despite hurting Blaydes early on, Hokit was unable to find the finishing knockout blow. For his part, Blaydes also responded with several heavy combinations that rocked the former NFL player on multiple occasions.
During the three-round war, the heavyweight fighters landed a combined total of over 350 significant strikes. Ultimately, all three judges awarded the victory to Hokit with a score of 29-28. This loss worsened Blaydes' record to 2 wins and 3 losses in his last five bouts, including an interim title fight against Tom Aspinall in 2024.
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