Paddy Pimblett calls Josh Hokit 'a crazy wanker' and says his win would be 'bad for the sport'
Asked if Hokit is playing crazy, Pimblett told Joe Rogan he hates "the acting", as he hates Colby Covington's, days before Hokit fights Ciryl Gane at UFC 334.
Paddy Pimblett has called Josh Hokit "a crazy wanker" and said it would be "bad for the sport" if Hokit beats Ciryl Gane for the UFC heavyweight title at UFC 334 on Saturday.
Pimblett was speaking to Joe Rogan on JRE MMA Show #188, released on Wednesday, the same episode in which he took aim at Arman Tsarukyan and told Ilia Topuria to pick one country. Rogan said a friend he respects had told him Hokit would win this weekend, while he sees Gane as "one of the biggest puzzles in the heavyweight division".
"I think it's bad for the sport if Josh Hokit wins," Pimblett replied. "I think it's bad, bad for the sport if Josh Hokit wins. I think he's a crazy wanker."
Rogan asked: "Is he at least playing crazy? I don't know if he is crazy." Pimblett answered by comparing Hokit with Colby Covington. "As you know, I hate Colby Covington. I hate the acting. I hate the trying to be something you're not. Just be yourself. Why are you putting this act on? And it just pisses me off, lad," he said.
He said everything he has heard about Covington is that "behind the scenes he's one of the nicest men", and added: "So when he's the way he is on camera, it's like, what are you doing?"
Gane has said Hokit only pretends to be a clown and is really smart. At Thursday's UFC 334 press conference in New York, Hokit led the room in a chant against Gane and joked about the champion's mum, after Gane said he was comfortable with the character. UFC chief executive Dana White has said he did not like Hokit's shtick, but that Hokit earned the fight.
Hokit, who is 10-0, challenges Gane in the UFC 334 main event at Madison Square Garden on Saturday 14 November. The main card starts at 2am UK time on Sunday, live on TNT Sports.
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