The heavyweight division has been stuck in a rut ever since the title fight between Ciryl Gane and Tom Aspinall at UFC 321 ended in disaster. With the undisputed champion still on the sidelines recovering from a double eye poke, Gane has been keeping busy. The Frenchman demolished Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 to claim the interim heavyweight title.
The fight wasn’t without controversy, though. Pereira later went on a campaign against Gane and referee Herb Dean after accusing them of allowing his illegal shots to the back of the head to go unnoticed. However, “Poatan” now appears to have moved past the controversy and is already targeting a rematch with Gane.
The Brazilian has previously made it clear that he wants to remain at 265lbs and return at the November card, which is now UFC 334 and is scheduled for November 12. That idea, however, hasn’t exactly impressed Josh Hokit.
The outspoken heavyweight has already feuded with several members of the UFC roster, and Pereira is among them. In a series of posts on X, Hokit took aim at Pereira while making his case for the next shot at Gane. He questioned why Pereira and Ilia Topuria should be anywhere near another title opportunity after both were finished by Gane and Justin Gaethje, respectively, earlier this June.
He wrote, “As a fan, that fight makes no fucking sense. I watched you get demolished. How about a more favorable matchup like Sergei [Pavlovich] who is basically a striker & way less athletic than Ciryl. How about you get one fucking win in this weight class before you are gifted another title shot.”
Growing up, I loved the @ufc & all of its fighters. So it gives me great pleasure to use my platform today to speak the truth: neither Ilia Topuria nor Alex Pereira deserve a fucking title shot in their next fight. They both got handily destroyed . Make them earn it and fight…
— The Incredible Hok (@Josh_HokitUFC) September 7, 2026
Hokit wasn’t done there. In another post, he doubled down on his criticism of both Pereira and Topuria following their one-sided defeats on June 14.
He said, “Growing up, I loved the UFC & all of its fighters. So it gives me great pleasure to use my platform today to speak the truth: neither Ilia Topuria nor Alex Pereira deserve a fucking title shot in their next fight. They both got handily destroyed. Make them earn it and fight their way back like everyone else.”
The heavyweight then turned his attention to Aspinall’s manager, Eddie Hearn, accusing him of deliberately buying more time during contract negotiations and keeping his client from returning to the Octagon. For those unaware, Hearn recently said that Aspinall still needs to undergo several more tests before he can be cleared to compete.
Hokit believes the situation is far more straightforward and suggested booking Aspinall against Gane at UFC 334 in November, while Pereira takes on Sergei Pavlovich on the same card.
He wrote, “Eddie Hearn’s strategy with Aspinall is obvious: stall with “he’ll fight when cleared” to buy time in contract negotiations. Back in June, Tom said he’d fight Gane Sept 6th. Now Eddie is talking out of his ass: “He’s training, he’s ready, he’s eager to come back. You mean he didn’t get medical clearance before starting full training months ago?? Total BS.”
As a fan, that fight makes no fucking sense. I watched you get demolished. How about a more favorable match up like Sergei who is basically a striker & way less athletic than Ciryl. How about you get one fucking win in this weight class before you are gifted another title shot. https://t.co/47rOmZ5Oqj
— The Incredible Hok (@Josh_HokitUFC) September 7, 2026
Hokit then explained why he believes Pereira should face someone else before getting another crack at Gane. He wrote, “Nobody wants to see Alex get beat by Gane again. If @ufc books me vs Alex, Eddie holds the UFC by the balls and drags negotiations out forever because I’m the ONLY viable fight left for Gane that brings real eyes.”
Hokit also pointed to his own undefeated record as proof that he deserves the opportunity, while taking another shot at Pereira.
He further wrote, “I’m 10-0 (I’ve won all my fights at HW unlike low IQ, Portuguese, indian guy) and I put on a show. Ciryl and I need to find out who the best athlete in the UFC is. I’m the only man who can make him pay for being a dirty POS & I won’t need a year off or blame a ref. 💥👑 Incredible Hok vs. Ciryl Gane 👑💥 💥 Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alex Pereira💥 Let’s have a fucking party at MSG! 💣🥊💥”
1/2 Eddie Hearn’s strategy with Aspinall is obvious: stall with “he’ll fight when cleared” to buy time in contract negotiations.
Back in June, Tom said he’d fight Gane Sept 6th. Now Eddie is talking out of his ass: “He’s training, he’s ready, he’s eager to come back.”
You mean… https://t.co/xskjT8u6Ql
— The Incredible Hok (@Josh_HokitUFC) September 7, 2026
Hokit has certainly given himself plenty of reasons to believe he belongs in the conversation. He picked up two major wins over Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis within the span of just two months, quickly putting his name on the heavyweight radar.
Unfortunately for Hokit, even if his argument makes sense on paper, the UFC is still a business at the end of the day. Pereira remains one of the biggest stars on the roster despite his knockout loss, and the promotion will likely want to make the most of his star power while the 39-year-old Brazilian is still competing at the highest level.
That’s what makes Pereira vs. Gane 2 such an appealing option for the UFC. The rematch could headline a numbered event right now, while a loss to either Pavlovich or Hokit could seriously hurt Pereira’s position and make his road back to another title shot much tougher.
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.
