White Says Dislike of Hokit’s Comments Influenced Matchups

UFC CEO Dana White said his dislike of some of Josh Hokit’s comments may have influenced the matchups he received, while also saying the heavyweight contender earned his title shot. Hokit is scheduled to face Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight championship at UFC 334 on November 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Speaking on The Jim Rome Show, White said he had overlooked Hokit and might have matched him against tougher opponents because of things Hokit had said. White said Hokit passed the tests and fought his way to the title opportunity. He did not identify which specific bouts or matchmaking decisions were influenced by his personal reaction. White also said Hokit had been overlooked by fans and media. He described the contender as deserving of the title fight, despite disliking some of his remarks. The interview account is the basis for White’s explanation; the reports provide no independent confirmation of how matchmaking decisions were made. Hokit has won three fights in 2026, according to one account. He beat Denzel Freeman before earning a unanimous decision over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327 in April, then stopped Derrick Lewis by second-round technical knockout at UFC...