White Admits Making Hokit's Path Harder
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Dana White has confessed that Josh Hokit's road to a heavyweight title shot may have been unnecessarily difficult because the UFC president took issue with the contender's public statements.
The unbeaten Hokit will challenge Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight championship in the UFC 334 main event Nov. 14 in New York. White told The Jim Rome Show that his personal feelings about Hokit influenced his matchmaking decisions. "I might have threw some tough guys at him," White said, per Sherdog.
🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to UFC 334 on Ticketmaster →
Three Wins In 2026 Earned Hokit The Shot
Hokit carries a 10-0 record into the title fight after defeating three ranked heavyweights this year. He finished Denzel Freeman, outpointed Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327 in April, then stopped former challenger Derrick Lewis via second-round TKO at UFC Freedom 250 in June.
White acknowledged that Hokit had been overlooked not just by fans and media but by the promotion itself. The CEO said Hokit's string of victories removed any doubt about his credentials, regardless of whether people approved of his comments at a White House appearance earlier this year.
🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to UFC 334 on Ticketmaster →
Gane defends his belt against Hokit at Madison Square Garden with the bout streaming live on Paramount Plus.
Photo by Wade Austin Ellis on Unsplash
Original reporting:
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