Dana White Can’t Believe Alex Pereira and Josh Hokit Had a Respectful Backstage Encounter

From Kayla Harrison’s finish of Amanda Nunes and Stephen Thompson’s highlight-reel knockout in the final fight of his career to the heavyweight title war between Ciryl Gane and Josh Hokit, UFC 334 delivered plenty of action inside Madison Square Garden in New York.

One of the most debated results, however, was Gane’s unanimous decision victory over Hokit, with many questioning the judges’ scorecards. 

Former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira appeared to share that view and told Hokit that backstage. Dana White was surprised to hear about the interaction, given the Brazilian’s ongoing animosity towards Hokit.

Dana White Reacts to Josh Hokit and Alex Pereira’s Interaction

At the post-fight press conference, a reporter told UFC President Dana White that Josh Hokit and Alex Pereira had exchanged words of respect backstage.

White immediately reacted, saying, “I bet it was. Oh, they shook hands? Here we go, we are heading in the right direction.”

When asked whether a potential fight between the two was possible in the future, White said it would depend on the outcome of Alex Pereira’s upcoming bout against Sergei Pavlovich in December.

What Did Pereira Say to Hokit?

Alex Pereira, who lost his heavyweight debut against Ciryl Gane, was in attendance, watching the fight closely. However, he shook his head after hearing the results.

He later approached Hokit backstage and told him that he believed the American deserved to win the title fight over Gane, despite the judges’ scorecards.

"Hey, bro. Chama, congrats, my brother. For me, you won," Pereira told Hokit. The American heavyweight immediately wished him luck for his upcoming fight.

The interaction came as a surprise to many because Hokit has often publicly mocked Pereira. Even during the UFC 334 press conference, Hokit flipped off the Brazilian. However, their backstage exchange suggests that the two share mutual respect outside the fight game.