Josh Hokit Fights Cyril Gane for UFC Heavyweight Title

Josh Hokit will fight Cyril Gane for the UFC heavyweight championship this weekend in New York.

The bout headlines UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden, the penultimate numbered event of the year for the promotion. The fight marks a career trajectory as rapid as it is improbable for Hokit, who was cut by the NFL just four years ago, Mundo Deportivo reported.

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His journey to the top of MMA began in American football. Hokit starred at Fresno State before signing with the San Francisco 49ers in 2020. His NFL tenure, however, was brief. The team released him in August 2022, a move influenced by the presence of star fullback Kyle Juszczyk, known as ‘Juice,’ who is considered one of the best players at the position.

“No me despidieron, fui yo el que me fui,” Hokit said in an interview with Tim Welch during his UFC career. “They didn’t fire me, I left myself.” He used the end of his football career as fuel, transitioning to mixed martial arts and drawing on his collegiate wrestling background.

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Hokit’s Rapid Rise in MMA

Debuting professionally in 2023 as ‘The Incredible Hok,’ Hokit submitted Spencer Smith in his first fight under the Bellator banner. Two years later, he earned a shot in the UFC’s Contender Series, a platform where athletes compete for a contract with the promotion.

Hokit did not waste the opportunity. He defeated Guilherme Uriel, securing a contract with the company led by Dana White. Despite being in the UFC for only a year and a half, his ascent has been meteoric. He is undefeated in the promotion and has leapfrogged contenders like Alex Pereira and Alexander Volkov in the conversation for a title shot.

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Hokit Aims for the Heavyweight Title Through Showmanship

UFC values fighters like Hokit who excel outside the octagon. His ability to be a ‘showman’ has been a key factor in his rapid promotion. The company has demonstrated that a compelling personality can guarantee a bright future, regardless of an athlete’s previous path.

This weekend, Hokit aims to cap his whirlwind sporting journey with a heavyweight championship. His life has been a rollercoaster, and he intends to crown it with a title in the sport’s most famous arena.