Hokit Escorted from UFC Presser After Exchanges with Pereira, Topuria

Josh Hokit, a rising UFC heavyweight contender, dominated the UFC White House press conference Friday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, with heated verbal exchanges against Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria before security escorted him from the stage.

The 28-year-old, unbeaten in nine professional fights with three UFC victories, arrived in an eye-catching outfit and quickly targeted Pereira, the light heavyweight champion. Hokit insulted Pereira's use of a translator and issued personal threats, prompting Pereira to respond through his translator: "Why didn't you do anything while I was there?" The confrontation escalated when featherweight champion Topuria stood to defend Pereira, leading Hokit to direct insults at him, including references to Topuria's personal life. UFC President Dana White intervened as tensions peaked, and officials ended the press conference early. Hokit, scheduled to face Derrick Lewis in the main card bout on June 14 at the White House Freedom 250 event, did not participate in subsequent faceoffs.

The outburst drew widespread attention ahead of Hokit's fight against Lewis, a matchup requested by President Donald Trump last month. Lewis,...