Josh Hokit Embraces Tough UFC Tests Ahead of Heavyweight Title Fight With Ciryl Gane

Josh Hokit has a straightforward answer to Dana White’s admission that the UFC gave him difficult opponents: keep sending them. The heavyweight says his first four fights brought a range of demanding tests, and he’s now set to face Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 334 on November 14.

Hokit’s response is striking for its mix of defiance and scorekeeping. He isn’t disputing White’s description of his matchmaking. Instead, he’s pointing to the wrestling and grappling credentials of the men he has already faced, while making clear that he doesn’t want the UFC to ease the challenge now. The jump from four UFC appearances to a title fight gives that message immediate weight: his next opponent is the most consequential test of his career so far.

Hokit makes his case through opponent credentials

“Send anybody you want just don’t send anybody you want back,” Hokit wrote on X, before listing his first four opponents and what he saw as their defining qualifications:

The list gives Hokit’s argument a competitive shape: a jiu-jitsu specialist first, a wrestler next, then Curtis Blaydes, whom Hokit describes as a top-five heavyweight for eight years, followed by Lewis. But credentials and reputation don’t tell the whole story of a UFC run. Results, activity and standing in the division matter too, and the source’s account identifies Blaydes as the only one of Hokit’s first four opponents regarded as a notable name at that level.

Max Gimenis, Hokit’s debut opponent, has a 6-2 professional MMA record and an extensive grappling background. He was not ranked among the top 15 heavyweights, however. That makes the debut a useful example of the distinction Hokit is drawing: facing a specialist with significant grappling experience can present a real challenge without carrying the same divisional profile as a top contender.

Denzel Freeman brought a different résumé. He had fought twice in the UFC and won the LFA heavyweight title on the regional circuit, but has not competed since meeting Hokit. His background supports Hokit’s emphasis on wrestling credentials, while the limited UFC sample makes it harder to place him alongside established contenders.

Blaydes is the clearest benchmark

Blaydes stands apart in the four-fight list. Hokit highlights his size, cardio and wrestling, as well as his long spell in the top five. Those traits represent a more recognizable test against a proven heavyweight than the records of Gimenis or Freeman. Hokit’s point is that a short UFC résumé doesn’t automatically mean an easy route: the quality and style of an opponent can make each step demanding in a different way.

That framing also helps explain why White’s comments have become part of the story. The UFC chief has said that personal dislike of some things Hokit has said influenced the tough opponents he received. He has also publicly criticized Hokit, including after remarks at UFC Freedom 250. Hokit’s reply keeps attention on the matchups and his willingness to accept them, rather than turning the exchange into a separate argument.

Gane turns the claim into a title test

The upcoming bout with Gane will put Hokit’s confidence under the brightest pressure yet. A title fight is a different level of consequence from the four appearances he cites, and Gane gives him an opponent whose name is already central to the heavyweight picture. Hokit’s response suggests he welcomes that assignment. The result will show whether his rapid rise can carry through when the stakes are highest.

White has defended the decision to make the fight, even amid his criticism of Hokit. That leaves a compelling tension ahead of UFC 334: Hokit says the UFC has repeatedly matched him with tough opposition, while the title booking gives him the chance to turn that belief into a championship result. His list makes the case for how he views the road so far. The meeting with Gane will decide what that road has earned.