NEW YORK (AP) — Josh Hokit might have a second career as a vulgar comic who leans on off-color, crude remarks to provoke shock and laughter.
uncertain
who → have → shock
He’s not particularly funny.
asserted
He → ’ → ?
Case in point, for news conferences before his fights on the White House card and this week in New York for his heavyweight title fight at Madison Square Garden, Hokit has opened with so-called standup routines that have barely drawn a polite chuckle out of the usually go-along-to-get-along MMA media horde.
asserted
that → open → horde
Hokit tried an R-word rage-bait routine targeting another fighter and accused members of the press of suffering from brain damage during a 4 1/2-minute performance.
“I’m trying guys, I’m trying,” Hokit said to a silent room.
asserted
Hokit → try → room
Hokit, of course, marred what was an otherwise successful event in June on the South Lawn of the White House when he won his fight and then made an unfounded attack based on a right-wing conspiracy theory about former first lady Michelle Obama.
asserted
he → mar → Obama
What UFC officials hoped would be a victory lap the following Monday turned into a day of putting out fires and responding to requests for comment about the incident.
asserted
be → hop → incident
Hokit has refused to apologize and even doubled down on his comment while promoting this fight.
asserted
Hokit → refuse → fight
Hokit fights for the first time since then on Saturday when he challenges heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane in the main event of UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden.
asserted
he → fight → Garden
A victory would make Hokit one of the most polarizing champions in the promotion’s recent history.
asserted
Hokit → make → history
No fan expects MMA stars to act as choirboys.
asserted
stars → expect → choirboys
Jon Jones and Conor McGregor are perhaps the two biggest and most popular stars in UFC history, and each have faced multiple legal issues and a slew of other unsavory accusations over the years.
asserted
each → face → years
Yet, they sell out arenas, earn record viewership and have fans constantly clamoring for the next bout when the fighters go years without one.
asserted
fighters → sell → one
There’s just something so uncouth about Hokit that makes a title reign unpalatable to even his peers in the company.
asserted
reign → ’ → company
“I think it’s bad for the sport if Josh Hokit wins,” UFC fighter Paddy Pimblett said on a recent episode of Joe Rogan’s podcast.
asserted
Pimblett → think → podcast
“I hate the acting.
asserted
I → hate → acting
I hate the trying to be something you’re not.
asserted
you → hate → trying
Why are you putting this act on?”
asserted
you → put → act
The 29-year-old Hokit, who spent time on the San Francisco 49ers practice squad, has reveled in playing the sleazy bad guy as part of his “Incredible Hok” persona.
asserted
who → spend → persona
He even tried to get under Gane’s skin when he uttered a vulgar Maghrebi Arabic term, also used as French slang, to the champion out of western France during a faceoff in Times Square.
asserted
he → try → Square
Now that did get a laugh.
asserted
that → get → laugh
“He tried to get in my head,” Gane said.
asserted
Gane → try → head
“I just wanted to get out and laugh with my guys because it was so funny.”
asserted
it → want → guys
Not exactly the reaction Hokit wanted.
asserted
Hokit → want → ?
What can’t be debated is Hokit’s run of success since he turned pro in 2023.
asserted
he → debate → 2023
Hokit joined UFC two years later and is 5-0 (10-0 overall) with wins over Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis — hand-picked by President Donald Trump to fight on the White House card — that propelled him into the first title fight of his professional career.
asserted
that → join → career
Gane knows that beyond Hokit’s schtick is an accomplished wrestler and devastating knockout artist waiting to pounce.
asserted
wrestler → know → schtick
“He’s a smart guy,” Gane said.
asserted
Gane → ’ → ?
“He pretends he’s just a clown.”
asserted
he → pretend → ?
Gane set for the biggest fight of his career
The 36-year-old Gane lost to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones in previous attempts to win the heavyweight championship.
asserted
Gane → lose → championship
His third attempt ended in a no-contest after an accidental eye poke to Tom Aspinall.
asserted
attempt → end → Aspinall
Aspinall has been on the shelf since the October 2025 fight, and the heavyweight division was in a bit of a holding pattern waiting for his potential comeback.
asserted
division → wait → comeback
Gane defeated Alex Pereira at the White House and claimed the interim heavyweight title before he was promoted to undisputed champion in November.
asserted
he → defeat → November
“My coach called me, (talked) to me about the training, and said, ‘hey, we forgot, but congrats, bro, you are the champion,’” Gane said.
asserted
Gane → call → training
Gane possesses devastating knockout power but combines it with an athleticism rarely seen among heavyweight champions.
asserted
Gane → possess → champions
He said after years of challenging, his mindset hasn’t changed just because he’s the champ.
asserted
he → say → challenging
“Yes, today I have the belt,” Gane said.
asserted
Gane → have → belt
“But at the end, I must win my next fight.
asserted
I → win → fight
That’s it.”
asserted
That → ’ → ?
Nunes ends her retirement
asserted
Nunes → end → retirement
Amanda Nunes ended her two-year retirement to try to defeat Kayla Harrison in the co-main event and win the 135-pound championship.
asserted
Nunes → end → championship
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
