Ciryl Gane on Josh Hokit: 'He pretends he's a clown, he's stupid, but he's not'

The UFC heavyweight champion calls his UFC 334 challenger "really smart", but says he is "not a big fan of his approach".

Ciryl Gane says Josh Hokit only pretends to be a clown, five days before he defends the UFC heavyweight title against him at UFC 334.

Speaking on the UFC 334 Countdown show, Gane said of Hokit: "He is smart. He is really smart. He pretends he's a clown, he's stupid, but he's not. He's really not."

Gane also gave Hokit credit for his last win, but not for the way he goes about things. "Josh won the fight against Derrick Lewis. He did well. I'm not a big fan of his approach," he said.

Hokit has released a rap song aimed at Gane, "MSG Freestyle", with the line "Frenchy leaving in a diaper". He also claims US President Donald Trump has promised to release the Epstein list if he beats Gane, a claim Trump has not confirmed. Gane has already said the trash talk cannot get to him: "You can insult my mum, you don't know my mum."

Hokit, who is 10-0, earned the title shot with a unanimous decision over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327 in April and a second-round stoppage of Lewis at UFC Freedom 250, the White House card, on 14 June. Gane makes his first defence of the undisputed title against him in the UFC 334 main event at Madison Square Garden, New York, on Saturday 14 November.

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