Josh Hokit suggests Gable Steveson is hiding behind Jon Jones to be seen as a 'nice guy'
Hokit said Steveson was 'trying to uphold this fake image' when he walked out smiling after his 12-second knockout by Sean Sharaf at UFC 331.
Josh Hokit has questioned why Gable Steveson has aligned himself with Jon Jones, suggesting the Olympic champion is using Jones to be seen as a "nice guy".
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show on Monday, Hokit said: "So I don't know what they're telling him. Maybe that's even why he's with Jon Jones in the first place, where it's like, sh*t, I'm going to go with Jon Jones, and Jon Jones been through some sh*t. And maybe I'm going to hide behind that name and that image... if I'm with Jon Jones, the quote-unquote nice guy, maybe I'll be a nice guy or be seen as a nice guy."
He also said Steveson walking out of the cage smiling after his defeat was him "trying to uphold this fake image".
Hokit brought up an allegation from Steveson's time at the University of Minnesota. "Even with that case that was brought up, you know, from his college days, it's like, you're not prepared to answer, gang? Like, what are we doing, bruh?" he said. "Like, that dude that knocked him out called him out in front of the world, you know, in a press conference, and he had no answer for it... You didn't think that was going to get brought up?"
Steveson was arrested in June 2019, while wrestling for Minnesota, on suspicion of sexual assault. Prosecutors decided that December not to bring criminal charges, citing a lack of evidence.
Steveson was knocked out in 12 seconds by Sean Sharaf at UFC 331 on 19 September, the first defeat of his mixed martial arts career: Steveson, from Olympic gold to a 12-second knockout. Jones was filmed cornering him in the warm-up, and Steveson has said Tom Aspinall vacating the title could tempt Jones back: Steveson on a Jones comeback.
Hokit challenges Ciryl Gane for the undisputed title at UFC 334 on 14 November. Earlier in the same interview he called Tom Aspinall's eye injury fake: Hokit on Aspinall and Gane.
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Reported by the Combat Sports UK desk. Times are UK and Irish time, and we update the report when the facts change. How we work.