Josh Hokit brings a French twist to UFC 334 fight week

Love him or hate him, Josh Hokit’s polarizing persona inside and outside the octagon has played a pivotal role in his rise through the heavyweight ranks. Now, with just days to go before his showdown against Ciryl Gane for the undisputed heavyweight title at UFC 334, the American is leaning ever more into his 'Incredible Hok' persona. 

Hokit has been on Gane’s case ever since his infamous double eye poke against Tom Aspinall at UFC 321, an incident that has kept the Englishman sidelined for over a year. Add to that the alleged back-of-the-head shots against Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250, and Hokit has had no shortage of material to troll the Frenchman with.

In his latest attempt to get under 'Bon Gamin's skin before they are locked in the octagon together, the 28-year-old unleashed a profanity-laced tirade against Gane with a distinct French twist.

Josh Hokit Uses a French Slur on Ciryl Gane

Josh Hokit and Ciryl Gane will headline UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden this weekend. And, befitting the iconic venue hosting the event, the two headliners faced off beneath the bright lights of Times Square earlier this Tuesday.

Sure enough, it didn't take Hokit long to let his unruly side show. The No. 5-ranked heavyweight contender first took a dig at Gane's physical attributes before promising to beat the Frenchman at his own game:

"I thought you'd be taller. I'd still dunk on your b***h a**. I'll beat you at your own game."

Hokit then escalated his verbal assault, directing a French slur derived from Arabic at Gane that loosely translates to male genitalia.

Check out Josh Hokit's verbal tirade against Ciryl Gane below:

Gane, who likely understood the meaning of the word immediately, initially tried to throw Hokit off by asking him what it meant. The unruly 'Incredible Hok', however, refused to back down, insisting that the Frenchman knew exactly what he meant. Gane eventually conceded that he recognized the insult.

Josh Hokit Trains Blind to Prepare for Ciryl Gane

While Ciryl Gane's nickname 'Bon Gamin' translates to 'Good Kid', the Frenchman has developed a reputation for being anything but, owing to a history of controversial incidents involving alleged fouls, some of which, in all fairness, may have been unintentional.

Of all Gane's transgressions, his double eye poke against Tom Aspinall at UFC 321 is perhaps the most infamous. The incident has kept Aspinall out of active competition ever since. The fallout, too, has been significant, with the Englishman eventually being forced to relinquish the heavyweight title amid inactivity.

Hokit, for one, is leaving no stone unturned ahead of the fight. In a hilarious video posted on his socials, Hokit can be seen wearing an eye mask as his trainer repeatedly pokes him around the eye guard. He also takes things a step further by working on his boxing completely blind.

Check out Josh Hokit undergoing blind training below: