Dana White says he 'might have threw some tough guys' at Josh Hokit over things he said

The UFC boss says Hokit "passed every test" and deserves his shot at Ciryl Gane at UFC 334, having said he did not like "anything Josh Hokit says".

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Wed 4 Nov, 23:56 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Josh Hokit and Dana White — Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images; MMA Junkie

Dana White has said he "might have threw some tough guys" at Josh Hokit because he didn't like things the heavyweight had said, and that Hokit "passed every test" on his way to a UFC title shot.

"Hokit was the fight to make. Hokit's been overlooked the entire time, not only by the fans and the media, but by me," White told The Jim Rome Show. "I didn't like some of the things he said, so I might have threw some tough guys at him ... and he passed every test, and here he is, you know, like him or hate him, he fought his way to the top."

"There's no denying that this guy deserves his title shot and belongs there," White added.

At the UFC 331 post-fight press conference, asked about Hokit being one win from the title, White said: "I say it all the time, I don't have to like you for you to thrive here and you to do well and be successful." He said he was not saying he did not like Hokit, but that he did not like "anything Josh Hokit says", adding: "That's not going to change unless he changes, which I don't see happening."

Hokit answered that on The Ariel Helwani Show in September. "Dana is just, you know, he has to say that. Deep down, I'm Dana's favorite fighter... He can't wait for my fights," he said.

Hokit is 10-0 and ranked No 4 at heavyweight. His last three wins came against Denzel Freeman, Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis, and he challenges Ciryl Gane for the undisputed title in the UFC 334 main event at Madison Square Garden on 14 November.

In this story

Josh Hokit Ciryl Gane Curtis Blaydes Derrick Lewis