Tom Aspinall recently vacated the UFC heavyweight title after yet another right-eye injury in training derailed his plans for a return. Aspinall was expected to finally unify the heavyweight titles against Ciryl Gane at UFC 334, as first revealed by Ariel Helwani.
Aspinall’s lengthy layoff dates back to UFC 321 in October 2025, when Gane poked him in the eyes, sending his career into an unexpected tailspin. With Gane now elevated to undisputed champion, the Frenchman is set to defend the heavyweight gold against Josh Hokit at UFC 334.
Hokit has quickly risen through the heavyweight ranks, riding a perfect 10-0 record and impressive wins over Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis. Still, not many are giving him much of a chance against Gane. The Frenchman has already shared the Octagon with some of the biggest names in the division, including Jon Jones, Francis Ngannou, Alex Pereira and Aspinall.
However, former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman believes Hokit could pull off the upset if he channels the style of former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez.
Chris Weidman Calls Josh Hokit a “Tough Matchup” for Ciryl Gane at UFC 334
During a recent segment of his Deep Waters podcast, Weidman pointed to Hokit’s relentless wrestling and pressure, saying, “If you watch Hokit, some of his fights before the Curtis Blaydes fight, I’ve seen him ragdoll people like Cain Velasquez did back in the day.”
He added, “Just non-stop punches from the back, just riding them, rag-dolling them around. He has the potential of rag-dolling Ciryl Gane, for sure, Cain Velasquez style.”
Weidman also pointed to Gane’s losses to Ngannou and Jones, suggesting Hokit could give the Frenchman problems by constantly pressuring him. According to the former champion, Gane’s movement-heavy style could also force him to burn through his gas tank faster than Hokit.
He said, “We’ve seen Gane get taken down and get beat up by Francis Ngannou, Jon Jones with the guillotine,” Weidman added. “I think I’d go Hokit only because I think the style of Gane, being light on your feet and stuff, I think that takes a lot of cardio. Like the ‘Wonderboy’ (Thompson)-type style.”
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“The All-American” continued, “It’s very taxing on the body to be that light on your feet, and I think a guy like Hokit, who’s non-stop pressuring, eventually will start winning exchanges and getting the takedowns. I think he wears on Gane. No disrespect to Gane because I think the guy is unbelievable, but I think Hokit is just a tough matchup.”
Hokit already showed at UFC 327 in April that he is more than just a grappler, emerging victorious from an all-time classic against Blaydes. However, Gane could present a completely different challenge. With the Frenchman arguably one of the best strikers at heavyweight, Hokit may have to lean heavily on his wrestling if he wants to make Weidman’s prediction a reality at Madison Square Garden
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
