Curtis Blaydes took a beating at UFC 327 | Getty/UFC

Engaging in a “Fight of the Year” candidate took its toll on Curtis Blaydes.

The longtime heavyweight contender squared off against prospect Josh Hokit on the UFC 327 main card at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Saturday night. While both combatants boast wrestling backgrounds, the bout turned into a slugfest in which Blaydes (177) and Hokit (174) combined to land the most significant strikes in a three-round fight in UFC heavyweight history.

Hokit appeared to wobble Blaydes on more than one occasion, but “Razor” was never dropped. However, Hokit got stronger as the fight progressed, ultimately earning a hard-fought unanimous decision victory.

The Cost of Doing Business

As for Blaydes, he will likely be sidelined for quite some time as he recovers from the injuries suffered in the memorable contest. Blaydes’ management team at Vayner Sports revealed to