Josh Hokit secured his place among elite UFC heavyweights and on the UFC Freedom 250 White House fight card this past Saturday, achieving this feat through an utterly astonishing display.
Against previous title contender Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327, Hokit emerged victorious via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) following three rounds of what can only be described as truly remarkable combat in UFC heavyweight history. By the close of the initial round, both combatants were visibly struggling for breath, yet they sustained their intense tempo right up to the concluding buzzer.
Immediately following his triumph, UFC CEO Dana White declared Hokit’s inclusion in the UFC Freedom 250 event, where he is scheduled to square off against seasoned fighter Derrick Lewis on the White House grounds.
It was evident that the UFC was impressed by the performance of the contentious athlete, who had been granted a significant leap forward by facing a top-ranked adversary.
Hokit-Blaydes duel establishes new benchmark for impactful blows
Hokit initiated the majority of the aggression throughout Saturday’s encounter. He nearly secured a first-round victory with a barrage of punches — punctuated by defiant gestures — aimed at a taken-aback Blaydes, however, the experienced competitor rallied and managed to gain sufficient control to win the round across all three judges’ cards.
Nonetheless, Hokit persisted relentlessly, demonstrating superior hand speed and steadily disfiguring Blaydes’ countenance. Blaydes displayed considerable courage by remaining on his feet, yet his resilience ultimately served only to contribute to a minor historical milestone.
By informal count, this contest featured the highest number of impactful strikes landed in any three-round UFC heavyweight bout, exceeding the prior record by almost 40 blows.
This confrontation was an utterly unexpected endurance battle between two athletes typically known for their grappling prowess within mixed martial arts. Hokit, participating in just his third UFC contest, was driven by a powerful desire for a career-defining victory (and to substantiate his immense verbal provocations), whereas Blaydes appeared to endure out of sheer defiance or personal dignity.
Hokit’s triumph over Blaydes constituted an upset. The fact that the fight lasted the full duration represented an even greater surprise.
Following the judges’ verdict, Hokit was neither too fatigued nor disoriented to deliver what appeared to be a meticulously prepared address, reminiscent of a cynical Dr. Seuss character:
My electric slide can power this whole damn city. I’m the ouch that runs his mouth and wears dirty shoes at your house just to say ‘F*** your couch.’ I toot my own horn and beat my own drum, but if you think you can beat me in a fist-fight, boy is you dumb.
Subsequently, he issued an explicit challenge towards Alex Pereira, who is slated to contend for the interim heavyweight title at the UFC White House spectacle. And now, Hokit will be present alongside him in Washington D.C.
