Dana White Says He Dreads Everything About a Josh Hokit Title Reign
White said he does not like anything Josh Hokit says but insists personal feelings will not stop a fighter from thriving.
Dana White is not exactly counting down the days to a potential Josh Hokit era at heavyweight. The UFC boss was brutally candid at the UFC 331 post-fight press conference when asked about Hokit's upcoming title challenge against Ciryl Gane at UFC 334.
"I literally don't like anything Josh Hokit says," White told reporters. The comment landed with the bluntness fans have come to expect, but White followed it up with a more measured take: "I don't have to like you for you to thrive here."
Hokit was officially booked to face Gane for the undisputed heavyweight championship during the UFC 331 broadcast. The fight is scheduled for November 14 at Madison Square Garden. The undefeated contender has been a polarizing figure since his controversial promotional antics at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, where his behavior drew public criticism from White.
White made it clear he does not expect Hokit to change course. When pressed on whether the relationship could improve, he essentially shrugged it off, reiterating that multiple fighters he personally dislikes have had successful runs under the UFC banner.
The dynamic sets up one of the more entertaining subplots heading into UFC 334. If Hokit dethromes Gane, White will be handing a championship microphone to a man whose every public statement apparently grinds his gears. For a promotion that thrives on personality and spectacle, that tension might be worth more than any scripted rivalry.
Dana saying he does not like anything Josh Hokit says, then booking him for the heavyweight title anyway, is the most honest thing he has said in months. And it is good for business. A champion the boss cannot stand is a better story than a champion the boss adores.
Hokit is 10-0 and the path to this shot is controversial with fans, which is fair. But the antics at the White House card clearly got under Dana's skin, and I would bet the ticket sales for MSG got a bump because of it. That is not an accident. Hokit is playing a character and the character is working.
My hope is that he can actually fight, because a title reign built on getting under Dana's skin ends the first time somebody cracks him. Gane is not a killer but he is a real heavyweight with a real skill set. If Hokit wins that, hand him the mic and let Dana squirm. I will enjoy every second.
