‘How’s your mom doing?’: Josh Hokit takes aim at Ciryl Gane, flips off Alex Pereira ahead of UFC 334
Josh Hokit turned a UFC 334 pre-fight press conference into a spectacle, trading barbs with Ciryl Gane and directing a gesture at Alex Pereira in front of a lively New York crowd.
Wearing goggles, a pad on his neck and a protective cup, Hokit leaned into the moment and pushed his trash talk well beyond the usual pre-fight posturing. The crowd in New York appeared to be with him, reacting warmly as he ratcheted up the energy on stage.
The exchange added another layer to the build-up for UFC 334, where press conferences often matter as much as the talking points they create. Fighters use these events to seize attention, unsettle opponents and draw the audience into the fight before the first bell ever sounds. Hokit clearly embraced that role.
His focus on Gane and his middle-finger salute toward Pereira gave the appearance of a fighter intent on making a statement, not just answering questions. In MMA, that kind of conduct can fire up a fanbase, irritate an opponent or do both at once, depending on how the other side responds.
Whether the scene changes the tone of the event itself remains to be seen, but it has already added heat to the UFC 334 build-up. Fans now have an extra storyline to follow: how Gane and Pereira react, and whether Hokit backs up the noise when the cage door closes.
