Hokit Addresses His Critics

Josh Hokit has set aside the Incredible Hok persona to give a candid account of how he views the polarising reception he has received since arriving in the UFC.

"I don't mind it too much as long as they're giving me certain fights and they're paying me a certain amount of money. Everyone could hate me for all that I care. I'll just get the money and one day I won't have to be bothering anybody anymore.

“I'll just be on a lake somewhere on a boat, not bothering anybody. Until then, I'm going to be really disconnecting with people — so maybe that's a mind-shift for some up-and-coming fighters that they need to stop worrying about being so cool and liked," Hokit said

Hokit has generated more noise in a shorter time than almost any other fighter to join the UFC's heavyweight roster in recent memory. Press conference confrontations with Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira, a backstage incident with Topuria, a crowd altercation with Paulo Costa at UFC 328, and a general approach to fight week that has kept security occupied across multiple events have made him impossible to ignore.

The criticism has come from credible directions. Sean Strickland, not a fighter known for measured takes, has taken aim at Hokit. Dana White has been candid about his personal distaste for the character while simultaneously acknowledging that the performances inside the cage have been worth the disruption outside it.

The suggestion that up-and-coming fighters should stop worrying about being liked is a direct challenge to the conventional wisdom about how combat sports careers are built — through fan connection, social media likability, and cross-promotional appeal. Hokit's version is simpler. Win, get paid, and let everyone else form their own opinion.