Curtis Blaydes makes himself to media members of all levels and will offer his thoughts on any subject when asked, but he has never been considered or has considered himself to be a talker, and especially not a trash talker. During open workouts ahead of UFC Nashville, Curtis Blaydes explained why that is (transcript via MMA Junkie)
“I come from the wrestling world where there’s not a lot of talking,” Blaydes told reporters. “(Ben) Askren, he’s a little different. Most wrestlers, we don’t really talk a lot. When I hear someone say something I feel is disrespectful or inaccurate, I don’t get why people have an issue with me giving them my insight. That’s what fans I want, that’s what social media is about – interacting with athletes they want to follow or entertainers or whatever.”
Many fighters, and public figures in general, stay clear of interacting with trolls on social media, but Curtis Blaydes does not consider himself to be above the fans who interact with him, so, for the most part, Blaydes enjoys the interactions with all fans, even the trolls:
“I like it because sometimes I do have good conversations with fans and sometimes you do get the A-holes that just want to say wild stuff to have a screen shot to show to their buddies. Sometimes I indulge them, sometimes I block them. It just depends on the day.
“It’s kind of funny sometimes,” Blaydes said. “A lot of the comebacks are, ‘What are you doing responding to me? You tagged me. I don’t see myself as that big that I can’t talk to anybody. If you tag me and you say, ‘Blaydes is a bum,’ I’m going to respond and go, ‘No, I’m not, though.’ Sometimes fans like it. Sometimes they really feel adamant I’m a bum and want me to go back and forth. I like the interactions though, I do.”
Curtis Blaydes is set to take on an outspoken fighter whom Blaydes has likened to a troll, Justin Willis, this Saturday, March 23, in the co-main event of UFC Nashville. And this interaction will be purely physical.
Do you believe professional athletes like Curtis Blaydes should dignify trolls with a response?
