Brown Says Gane vs. Hokit Not For True Heavyweight Crown

Retired UFC welterweight Matt Brown says Ciryl Gane's UFC 334 title defense against Josh Hokit on Saturday will not crown MMA's true heavyweight champion.

Gane was elevated to undisputed champion after Tom Aspinall withdrew with ongoing eye problems, having previously won interim gold against Alex Pereira in June. Hokit earned his shot with victories over Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis, but Brown told MMA Fighting's podcast the belt remains disputed. "These guys are fighting for second place unfortunately," he said. "That's the downside. It's still going to be a great fight."

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Brown Picks Aspinall As Uncrowned Champion

Brown singled out three names as the division's best — Jon Jones, Francis Ngannou, and Tom Aspinall — with none actively competing for the title. He placed Aspinall above the UFC 334 combatants. "Tom Aspinall's the uncrowned champ," Brown said. "I think Tom Aspinall would have a better chance of coming back and beating Hokit than he would Ciryl Gane."

Brown also noted the depth problem at heavyweight, where several top contenders — including Alexander Volkov and Pereira — have not faced the absent trio. Aspinall's timeline for a return remains unclear as he manages his eye injury.

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Gane defends his title Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.

Photo by Speedy Sandy on Unsplash

Original reporting:

• bjpenn.com — Ciryl Gane vs. Josh Hokit will not determine MMA’s best heavyweight, says retired UFC fighter | BJPenn.com