Josh Hokit did not like what he saw from ‘The Black Beast’ at UFC 324.
After sharing the first UFC numbered card of 2026, ‘The Incredible Hok’ and Derrick Lewis will share the cage at the promotion’s biggest event in recent memory.
Moments after Hokit beat Curtis Blaydes in a heavyweight classic at UFC 327, he was offered a quick turnaround to fight Lewis at the White House event on June 14.
While the controversial contender has had attention on Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria with his trash talk ahead of the card, he certainly won’t be shying away from throwing barbs at Lewis too.
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Use one word to describe Josh Hokit👇🏼
Josh Hokit is widely regarded as one of the cringiest fighters on the roster, but what do you think of him?😬
Josh Hokit slams Derrick Lewis for ‘giving up’ against Waldo Cortes-Acosta
Lewis will be hoping to stall the fast charge of Hokit in the UFC heavyweight division, and to avoid his first losing skid since 2023 in the process.
The UFC’s knockout leader entered 2026 off the back of consecutive victories over Rodrigo Nascimento and Tallison Teixeira. In January, however, Lewis was knocked out by Waldo Cortes-Acosta.
Hokit saw his next opponent’s setback in Las Vegas, and he has some thoughts on how ‘The Black Beast’ folded to the Dominican star’s punches.
“He’s got the most knockouts in the heavyweight division,” Hokit acknowledged while previewing his return during an interview with Simon Head for UFC.com.
“On paper, he’s a respectable opponent; he’s a household name. But I don’t respect anybody who gives up on themselves in a fight, and that’s what he showed in his last fight.
“He’s a bigger name in the UFC, a household name, so it’s just going to bring more eyes to the event and to the matchup, and I’m going to make the most of it,” he added.
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Lewis got on the White House card as the result of a personal request from United States President Donald Trump, who questioned his absence from the original lineup to Dana White.
That has benefitted Hokit, who now has a chance to bring his polarizing shtick and fighting talents to more eyeballs in Washington D.C.
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