Josh Hokit Identifies One Key Factor That Could Swing His Fight With Ciryl Gane
Undefeated challenger Josh Hokit plans to weaponize a high wrestling pace to drag undisputed heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane into deep waters at UFC 334.
With a perfect 10-0 professional record, Josh Hokit will fight for the heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane this Saturday at UFC 334. The Frenchman was elevated to undisputed heavyweight champion after Tom Aspinall vacated the belt due to a serious eye injury, and the promotion handed the No. 6-ranked Hokit his first title opportunity.
Due to Gane’s controversial history, there is a feeling in the MMA community that Gane will foul Hokit in round one. Most recently, Alex Pereira accused Gane of hitting him in the back of the head during their fight at UFC Freedom 250.
Before that, Gane poked Tom Aspinall in the eye during their title bout. The injury ended the fight as a no-contest, and Aspinall still has not recovered enough to set a return date.
Despite the risk of another messy fight, the former NCAA wrestler and NFL fullback insists he is ready for every scenario, as he has the blueprint to suffocate Gane in deep waters.
Josh Hokit Explains How He Plans to Pressure Ciryl Gane
Hokit recently stopped Derrick Lewis by second-round TKO at UFC Freedom 250 in June. He relies on forward pressure, heavy wrestling control, and strong cardio. Gane, by contrast, uses distance, footwork, and outside kicks.
Since Gane prefers open space, Hokit can drain the champion's energy by forcing him into the fence. The 28-year-old detailed this strategy on the Double Coverage Podcast ahead of their main event showdown.
"Weaponize the pace, put it on him. Put the pressure on. Maybe he overextends, maybe he doesn't," Hokit said. "There's a few scenarios that are probably going to happen once he deals with the pressure, once he feels the presence and that I'm not shying away. I'm prepared for all scenarios, all variables."
Former middleweight champion Chris Weidman agreed with the wrestling plan on the Deep Waters podcast and picked Hokit to win. He also noted that Gane's bouncy footwork mimics Stephen Thompson's style, which burns a lot of energy over five rounds.
Seán O'Malley is also backing the underdog. While O'Malley admits Gane's size and experience make him nervous, he wants to see Hokit go ‘full menace’ after becoming the heavyweight champion.
Hokit’s plan to defeat Gane relies on the blueprint from Gane's only two career losses. Francis Ngannou used takedowns to control Gane on the mat, and Jon Jones quickly submitted him in the first round. Former champion Michael Bisping noted that Hokit must wrestle because Gane moves too well at a distance.
The most extreme move came from former champion Jorge Masvidal, who placed a $200,000 bet on the underdog. Not everyone is on Hokit's side. The community is right now split, as some prefer Gane to win the bout. Meanwhile, some just want to see a clean, fair fight because of Gane's controversial history with fouls.
