Josh Hokit Compares UFC and NFL: "Fighting's Real Man's Sport"

Josh Hokit (10-0-0 MMA, 4-0-0 UFC) is all geared up to challenge for the UFC heavyweight title at UFC 334 this Saturday. The 28-year-old American will take on the current champion, Ciryl Gane (14-2-0 MMA, 11-2-0 UFC), headlining UFC's yearly blockbuster card at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Before stepping into the octagon, Hokit appeared on Tim Welch's podcast, Redhawk Recap. Hokit discussed various topics with Welch as well as his co-host, Joe Riggs. In this conversation, Hokit talked about his decision to move from American football to MMA.

Firstly, 'The Incredible Hok' corrected the host when he asked if Josh knew he was going into fighting after getting "cut" from the NFL.  Hokit wittily said, "Dude, I didn't get cut; I walked away," and laughed it off.

Before making his pro MMA debut, Hokit was signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and spent two seasons on their practice squad. The Arizona Cardinals later signed him in August 2022, but released him five days later. Hokit never appeared in a regular-season NFL game.

This NFL stint led Hokit to choose a sport where he doesn't have to rely on a team to succeed. He already had strong wrestling experience from high school, where he once peaked at No. 3 in the whole nation.

Josh Hokit Names Rampage Jackson As His Favorite Fighter

Comparing the NFL with combat sports, Hokit said, "When I decided to walk away, I mean cuz you see all these guys that have the success in wrestling and I feel like my mastery is one-on-one sport, you know what I'm saying? So, I knew I had that going for me. And so it was an easy decision as well, cuz it's like I just see football as a child's game, you know what I'm saying? Fighting's real man's sport."

Welch also asked Hokit about his favorite fighter growing up.

"I did like Rampage. I did like Rampage. He walked out with that chain and howled, and when he knocked out Chuck. And then he would do the big slams if you put him in a triangle. I remember, you know, getting a little pamphlet, a notebook, & Rampage signed it, and I was like, well, I guess this makes me a fan looking back at it"

Josh Hokit Set to Fight Ciryl Gane for Heavyweight Championship

Josh Hokit has quickly established himself as one of the heavyweight division's most entertaining prospects of all time. He attracts massive attention with his savage personality and even more savage fighting style. 

The No.5 undefeated UFC contender has gone 4-0 in the UFC with victories over Derrick Lewis and Curtis Blaydes. He has 4 performance bonuses in that number of UFC fights. But now, he has the ultimate challenge and reward in front of him as he fights Ciryl Gane for the latter's UFC heavyweight belt.  

The Frenchman has already been on the big stage, but none gets bigger than headlining at the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. Gane has the belt, but his past fights have been surrounded by controversy, particularly his title bouts with Alex Pereira and Tom Aspinall. '

Bon Gamin' will look to silence all the doubters by putting on a flawless and controversy-free performance against Hokit to maintain his status as the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion.