Josh Hokit gets his first UFC title shot at UFC 334, challenging Ciryl Gane for the undisputed heavyweight championship. Here's what you need to know before you lock in your pick.
From football to fighting
Hokit was an All-American wrestler at Fresno State, where he also played football. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2020 as a fullback, then turned to MMA and made his pro debut in 2023. He hasn't lost since.
How he wins
Hokit is 10-0. Six of his wins came by knockout, three by submission and one on the scorecards, and six of them ended in the first round.
He won on Dana White's Contender Series in August 2025, stopping Guilherme Uriel in round 2. Since then he's 4-0 in the UFC:
- Max Gimenis, stoppage in round 1
- Denzel Freeman, stoppage in round 1
- Curtis Blaydes, unanimous decision
- Derrick Lewis, stoppage in round 2
The question
Hokit's path to the belt runs through his wrestling. Both of Gane's losses came when the fight hit the mat, against Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones. If Hokit can close the distance and take the champ down, he's on the road those two took. If it stays standing, he's in with a striker who lands 62% of his significant strikes.
A common opponent
Both men have beaten Derrick Lewis. Gane stopped him in round 3 to win the interim title in 2021. Hokit stopped him in round 2 at UFC Freedom 250 in June.
What the Realm thinks
At the time of writing, the Realm is split almost down the middle: 52% have Hokit and 48% have Gane. In the co-main, 65% have Kayla Harrison over Amanda Nunes.
UFC 334 is also the final card of FR25, our November competition, and every pick counts toward Season 1 too.
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