Dana White Reveals Why Josh Hokit Got Hard Matchups In UFC

Dana White does have his favorites in the UFC, and he did not shy away from admitting it. As the UFC heavyweight division has faced some tumultuous times, one particular fighter, Josh Hokit, has been garnering a lot of eyeballs. Now, while he is slated for a championship bout, the UFC CEO has dropped quite a truth bomb. 

White recently appeared on an episode of The Jim Rome Show. Reflecting on Josh Hokit’s career path so far, the UFC boss admitted that he did give Hokit tough matches due to his controversial personality. White said, “Hokit was the fight to make. Hokit has been overlooked the whole time — not only by the fans and media, but me. I didn't like some of the things he said, so I might've thrown some tough guys at him, and he passed every test.”

The 57-year-old added, “So, here he is. Like him or hate him, he's fought his way to the top, and there's no denying that this guy deserves this title shot."

Truly, Hokit has faced some fearsome opponents during his early UFC stint. Going up against the likes of Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis, the UFC heavyweight star has proven his worth. Now, the 28-year-old is in line to challenge Ciryl Gane for the UFC heavyweight title. 

Why Does Dana White Not Like Josh Hokit? 

Hokit has always been a controversial character. His post-fight antics inside the octagon are something that White is not very fond of. For example, following his knockout win against Denzel Freeman in UFC 324, the UFC star dropped a demeaning remark about the WNBA star, Brittney Griner. Such a stance offended White significantly. 

Next up, during his win against Lewis at UFC Freedom 250, Hokit addressed Michelle Obama as a “man.” This, once again, offended the UFC CEO. White said, “I'm not saying that I don't like Josh Hokit. I literally don't f—king like anything Josh Hokit says.”