After Tom Aspinall vacated the title, Ciryl Gane automatically became the undisputed heavyweight champion. Gane’s first official title defense is now set against Josh Hokit at UFC 334 on Nov. 14.
With more than a month left, former heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones backed his Jackson-Wink MMA training partner, Hokit, to pull off the monumental upset. However, “Bones” also openly acknowledged that a victory for the Frenchman wouldn’t entirely be a negative for him.
Jon Jones Picks Josh Hokit to Pull Off Upset Over Ciryl Gane With One Big Catch
Jones is backing his Jackson-Wink training partner, but his prediction comes with a twist. “Bones” famously secured his heavyweight throne by dismantling Ciryl Gane with a first-round guillotine choke at UFC 285 in 2023. Because that win is a major part of his resume, Jones admitted that every dominant performance Gane puts on only serves to elevate his own record.
“Josh looks great right now,” Jones said. “He’s doing a great job; obviously, he’s coached by some of the best in the world. I’ve always supported wrestlers and backed wrestlers. So, my prediction is that I believe Hokit very well could win, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it doesn’t make our brand look great when Ciryl Gane beats people. So, may the best man win.”
Since losing to Jones, Gane earned the interim belt by stopping Alex Pereira in the second round at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14. The 28-year-old Hokit fought on that same June card, earning his title shot with a second-round TKO over Derrick Lewis.
Now sitting at 4-0 in the promotion since breaking through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2025, the undefeated challenger steps into the Madison Square Garden spotlight as a late-notice replacement for Aspinall.
Jones didn’t break down the technical side of the fight. He just said he always roots for fellow wrestlers, leaving analysts like Dustin Poirier to debate whether Hokit can handle Gane’s elite footwork. However, oddsmakers favor experience here, listing Gane as a -225 favorite and Hokit as a +185 underdog.
Though he is sidelined, Jones’s presence outside the cage continues to shadow the division. After defending his title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, Jones vacated the belt and retired, which initially made Aspinall the champion.
Rumors of a comeback circulated before the UFC event at the White House on June 14, but the fight never materialized. Still, Jones recently raised eyebrows by putting himself back into the official drug-testing pool, keeping his options open for a return whenever he feels like it.
