12 fights. 6 finishes. UFC’s fifth visit to Miami maintained 50% threshold in violence. Fans at the Kaseya Center definitely enjoyed the devastating knockouts and submissions of UFC 327. But those fights that went the distance also ended up entertaining the audience thoroughly. Following that fierce night, reportedly three fighters were sent to the hospital, including a Fight of the Year contender that kept viewers on the edge of their seats.
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According to an MMA Mania report, three fighters, Curtis Blaydes, Josh Hokit, and Azamat Murzakanov, were sent to the hospital after their fights turned out to be absolute barn burners.
Ahead of UFC 327, everyone wanted to see how an unranked Hokit would perform against a veteran like Blaydes, who has been a top-ranked heavyweight for a long time. But after witnessing those high-octane 15 minutes, we can say they exceeded all expectations. Both fighters landed a total of 351 significant strikes, with Hokit landing 177 strikes, slightly edging out ‘Razor’s onslaught that counted 174 strikes.
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Well, the volume was only part of the story. The heavyweight fighters also displayed some brutal power by wobbling each other multiple times, giving the feeling that the fight could have ended at any moment. However, it surprisingly went the full 15 minutes, with Blaydes’ face looking like a bloody mess; the judges scored the bout for Hokit via a unanimous decision.
Moreover, the main card heavyweight fighters can be happy knowing they earned the Fight of the Night bonus, a $100K bonus under Paramount+. Josh Hokit, especially, would be more ecstatic, as he received an additional $100K bonus for Performance of the Night, along with the new 205 lbs champ Carlos Ulberg, who knocked out Jiri Prochazka in the main event.
In that case, the Californian is going home with $200K in bonus money, which is substantial for an unranked fighter. With that amazing heavyweight fight earning Fight of the Night, it also became a Fight of the Year contender, and we are not even halfway through 2026. After the violent fight between Hokit and Curtis Blaydes, the UFC transferred both of them to the hospital for mandatory CT scans.
Alongside the heavyweights, one part of the co-main event, Azamat Murzakanov, also headed to the hospital. He was in a fierce battle with former 185 lbs title challenger Paulo Costa, who looked much sharper at 205 lbs with his body kicks and well-timed combinations. But it was a head kick from the Brazilian in the third round that sealed the deal, badly rocking the Russian, sending him to the canvas.
To put the finishing touches, Costa followed it up with ground strikes, getting a TKO victory at 1:23 of Round 3, snapping Murzakanov’s undefeated record. After the fight ended in devastating fashion, the Russian fighter left the arena on a stretcher and was sent to the hospital for precautionary reasons.
Three fighters transported to hospital following violent UFC 327, including Curtis Blaydes and Josh Hokit https://t.co/xleAV0jvRJ
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) April 12, 2026
Now, following a vicious night of fights, Dana White also appeared, sharing his thoughts about most of the main card fights. However, it was no secret that he was highly impressed with UFC 327’s heavyweight showdown.
Dana White shares “respect” for Hokit and Blaydes after UFC 327 scrap
Dana White wasn’t a fan of Hokit’s antics ahead of UFC 327. Though the Californian has an animated personality, he was extremely energetic, playing a character in Miami that even saw a surprising altercation with Jiri Prochazka at media day. But when Hokit finally appeared at the arena and went toe-to-toe against a veteran like Blaydes, it left the UFC CEO massively impressed.
“He walked the talk tonight,” White said at the UFC 327 post-fight presser. “When people come out and say stupid s—t and have sort of a shtick, it’s not my thing. But nothing but respect for both of those men tonight. That fight was unbelievable, and yeah, you won’t hear a word from me here on out about him. Like I said… he walked the talk,” he added.
Well, Dana White is totally correct! Hokit was on fans’ radar, with many doubting whether he could back the hype he created before the Miami card. Now, it would not be a stretch to say the former NFL player delivered on all fronts, proving he is truly one of the next entertainers in the UFC. Also, as a result of that unbelievable scrap, the head honcho revealed that Hokit is now set to perform on the White House card against Derrick Lewis as well.
That said, what do you think about the UFC 327 card as a whole? Did it live up to expectations?
Written by
Edited by
Yeswanth Praveen