Our next guest was one of the uh the lucky ones to fight on that card.
It was just about nine days ago and uh he made a lot of noise going into the fight, made a lot of noise coming out of the fight.
Probably other than Justin Gatechi, the most talked about fighter and maybe even more so than Justin Gatechi coming off of that card.
He is the incredible Hulk, Mr.
Josh Hokit.
Kind enough to join us right here and now.
It has been a minute.
There he is.
What’s up, Josh? How are you? Good.
How are you? I’m doing great.
It’s it’s uh it’s been a minute.
Long time no speak.
Yeah, it’s been a second.
Yes.
How you been? Life has been crazy.
You could say that.
How would you describe what life has been like? You’re 2026.
10 months ago, my man, you hadn’t even fought in Contender Series.
Now look at what what is happening in your life now.
Yeah.
I mean, it’s been a a a solid year.
I I would say I would say it’s more than solid.
No, probably.
It’s probably one of the best years a UFC fighter, especially a rookie UFC fighter probably has ever had.
So, yeah, it’s been good.
Would you say that you’ve exceeded your expectations, your own expectations as to how you thought the early stages of your UFC career would go? No, I mean, I just knew I needed the opportunity and uh and they they they’ve given me the opportunity.
So, I’ve been making the most of it.
Um, we didn’t get a chance to talk to you post Blades.
Obviously, a lot was going on and so I’d love to just go back there that night in Miami.
You win that fight.
Is it accurate to state that your approach with this idea to fight at the White House while you’re in the ambulance or did it come to you later? Yeah.
No.
Uh they came back uh to the the the check-in area uh where where the doctors were at and then uh uh Mick asked if I wanted to be at the White House and I was like sure my face kind of hurts, my hand kind of hurts, but I’m not going to I’m not going to miss that opportunity.
So I I said yes and I feel like it’s it’s paying off.
Yeah.
No, I I I think I think it has.
Did you know who the opponent was when you said yes? No, I just heard White House and I was like, I don’t at this point I don’t care who it is.
I mean, I just know I I I needed that platform to um boost my name in the game.
Um when you said yes, obviously there’s a lot of adrenaline, there’s a lot of excitement.
In the immediate days following the fight, did you ever question whether it was smart to come back so soon, two months later? I mean, I grew up wrestling, playing football, and I I even did it in in college, and so I never even had time off.
Uh I remember December 25th, we had a bowl game in Hawaii, and two weeks later, uh I had a wrestle at the Reno World Tournament in wrestling at a at um at a weight class that was even lower than uh what I played football at.
I I play football by like 220, 225.
In 2 weeks after football season, I would have to make 197.
And so everyone else is going home and going on vacation.
I’m over here cutting weight and and uh doing an even tougher sport.
So I think it’s all normal to me, you know, not having a break.
But it is a little different when you’re getting punched in the face though, right? Like you need to heal, you need to give your head a rest.
Yeah.
I mean, I would say it’s all the same.
It’s all perspective.
I mean, it’s not like I I I hurt my shoulder or uh I have a broken face or uh my hand was swollen.
And even going into the Derrick Lewis fight, it was still probably not 100%.
But I mean, where I’m trying to go, that type of stuff doesn’t matter.
Wow.
If my right hand hurts, I’m going to hit him with my elbow.
I’m going to hit him with my left hand, you know? I’m going hit him with other things that don’t hurt.
So, that that’s my mentality.
Which hand was was still not 100% in the Lewis fight? Was it the right? My right hand, but it it doesn’t once you once you’re in the cage, the adrenaline’s going and you just uh you have to accept, you know, all the the circumstances at that point.
And most fighters are not even 100% going into the fight.
But I mean, it it was good enough to be cleared by the doctor.
So, it’s all good.
And and this isn’t me trying to throw any shade Derek’s way, but did it make it, you know, like an easier task to say yes to because you felt like you were that much better than him that you felt like, okay, maybe he’s not one of the best heavyweights in the world, so I can beat him even if I’m not 100%.
I mean, they didn’t even tell me the opponent.
They said White House and then I learned after I was I think I went to the hospital and then they were like, “Oh, they announced the fight.
” Um, and so yeah.
Yeah.
Once I heard the name, I’m like, “Oh, that’s that’s going to be a way easier fight than what I had to deal with that night with Curtis Blades.
” And so I felt like I was uh obviously I was fighting down in competition, but uh the platform was so much greater, so I felt like I had to take it.
And then a month later, we get to the press conference in Newark and you know, for better or worse, you stole the show that night.
Did you regret how it ended? it.
You You seemed to have said that later on, but then I wasn’t sure if you really felt that way because Dana had to cut it short and he seemed a little bit annoyed.
Did you regret that it ended so abruptly? No.
I mean, I don’t know.
Has anyone ever been thrown out of out of a press conference? That’s how that’s where my mind’s at.
Yeah, I know like the antics could be over the top, but my intentions are are are still there.
and and um I was I was talking to Pereira um and then Tap to wants to rattle up and and say something.
And it’s like I don’t care what weight class I mean I don’t know what what gives him the audacity to uh even speak that way to a heavyweight, you know, and I think the uh the weight classes kind of give them a false sense of reality, you know, cuz I mean, if we were in the gladiator days, weight classes wouldn’t wouldn’t matter and we would we would actually get something we we would get to do something about it.
Excuse me.
Um but yeah, I don’t know.
It was interesting.
They threw me out and um yeah, I don’t know.
It’s I think it’s all it’s all good.
Did anyone say anything to you in the back like, “Yo, man, that was too much or that went too far or anything like that?” Um, no.
No.
I think uh I think you kind of need some chaos in in this game.
So, um I think it was all good or that else they would have or else they would have said something right.
Sure.
Um when you said like your intentions you you feel like they are what they are and it seemed like you were trying to pick a fight with Pereira and this has happened before where someone you know you’re at these press conferences and you pick a fight with someone who maybe down the line you’re trying to plant the seeds as Chel Sen would say.
Is is that how you would describe your intentions? Because obviously what gets talked about in the aftermath is Taporia family this, you know, Pereira this that and and and maybe it gets uh it gets a little muddied.
So what would you say are your intentions in those moments? Yeah, I want to I I mean I don’t think Pereira’s career is what everyone says it it is.
It’s like he was fighting for his third title and they said he was going to go down as the greatest of all time.
I mean, the accolades, if if we’re talking about the belts, yeah, no one’s done that.
But, I mean, I I feel like all his matchups have been favorable matchups, you know, they haven’t he hasn’t faced anybody um with my skill set or even like a wrestling pedigree and people want to talk about, oh, Anka live is a wrestler as well.
It’s like I don’t even know if he’s even put on a singlet and and had a wrestling match.
And so, all of his matchups have been kickboxing matchups.
And so, um, yeah, I want to I want to prove that that it’s that’s not real, you know, u, and so I feel like I have the skill set to, um, prove that.
You think he’s overrated, in other words? Yeah, I would say so.
I mean, he’s he’s good.
He he is good and and and when you become a legend, it is it has a lot to do with timing.
And so he did come into the sport at a at a real good time where the middleweights, they don’t have uh that many wrestlers, that many grapplers, and the the the division’s not not that deep.
And then 205 is it’s all the same.
205 and I mean even heavyweight.
So he was able to go through all those um fairly easy um or I should say quickly.
Um and so yeah, I don’t I don’t think he uh he’s faced a person of my caliber.
When we were talking to him before the fight, he said that when he saw you like uh around the hotel without the cameras, you were much different than when the cameras were on.
What is your response to that? No, I mean it’s just not smart to like what are we going to do? We’re going to we’re going to fight when there’s a media scrum.
That doesn’t it doesn’t even make any sense.
I I stared at him just to check his temperature and he’s like I mean we we we stood at each other stood at each other uh for about I don’t know 5 to 10 seconds and he’s just shy.
It was like what are we doing? It’s I mean he doesn’t speak English so I didn’t I didn’t even want to waste English words.
Um, but yeah, I mean, I I knew I was going to see him at the press conference and, you know, I think that’s uh a better time to, you know, rile him up, I guess.
What did you think of his performance against Gun? Yeah, I I I thought uh Pereira’s efficiency um I’m sorry, I my I’m losing my voice and I’m kind of sick right now.
You’re good.
You’re good.
Um, no.
I thought Pereira’s uh efficiency would, you know, uh make him victorious in that matchup.
But um the the more I thought about Sir Gone and how athletic he is and the type of shots that he uh chooses to throw, I think that was going to uh pose a bigger problem to Pereira.
Um, and so yeah, Pereira is kind of laxidasical and he does this little kickboxing stance and then Sir Gan has the fast twitch um explosive movements and he ran right into a jab and it was like um I I kind of saw it going like that in a way where Pereira’s two laxidasical and then he might run into into something.
Did you think the shots were to the back of the head? Did you think they were illegal? Yeah, I’m sure a few are, but it at the end of the day it’s a fight.
And so, I mean, if you’re going to be upset about that, you need to be upset that you got hit with a jab, you know, like you got to be more aware of that.
And so, if your head’s down, it’s kind of like the same thing with me and Derrick Lewis.
It’s like I had his leg and he was hitting me.
Uh, maybe I should do something about it.
So, I let go of the leg where I mean, Pereira’s head shouldn’t be down in the first place.
and it was only down because he he got caught with a with a shot that he didn’t see.
And so I I would put more emphasis on um being mad that you didn’t see that a simple punch cuz it was just it was just a straight jab and and and you didn’t see it coming.
And uh yeah, there was a few illegal shots, but I mean the adrenaline’s going.
I mean it’s a fight.
you’re trying to get the man out of there and and so things like that happens.
There’s a lot riding for you on this particular fight against Derrick Lewis because of everything that was going into it, the White House, all that.
Were you happy with your performance? Did you feel like you rose to the occasion? Uh yeah, I would say so.
I mean, it’s just it’s unfortunately you have to respect a guy with that type of power.
And I don’t like uh giving my opponents too much respect in in that sense where it was like I I didn’t uh march forward like I did with with uh Curtis Blades.
But I mean, every fight’s different and you kind of have to adjust to your opponent.
And I I knew if you know I made him I made him miss a little bit that he would get tired and and sure enough he did.
What happened with the armbar? Why weren’t you able to to tap him out? Yeah.
God forbid someone have a little fun in the cage, huh? You know, I don’t I already have an armbar finish in my career and I don’t know submitting Derek um at the White House.
I I don’t think that would have sat right with me.
And so I felt like the the the arm the armbar entry was was phenomenal.
Um, but I was gonna see if he was just gonna panic tap.
And then he also knows how to shove his his shoulder uh where he could extend his arm a little bit more, but uh yeah, I I didn’t I didn’t want to for the fight to end like that and I wanted to uh knock out the knockout artist.
You know, that was where my mind was at.
And so just to be clear, are you suggesting that you didn’t try to tap him out? Because I did see Mighty Mouse Israel Design suggest that you were kind of like goofing around.
Did you not like pull the trigger, so to speak, because you didn’t want it to end that way.
Yeah.
I Yeah, I mean, that’s what I’m saying.
Yeah.
I don’t I think a a knockout at the White House against, you know, the the greatest knockout artist uh that the UFC’s ever had is so much better than a than an arm bar finish.
And I’ve already I I already have an armbar finish.
And I don’t like finishing fights the same way twice.
And so, uh unless it’s a unless it’s a knockout or TKO, you know, th those never get old.
But yeah, I would I wanted a I wanted a knockout.
I have to say I thought it was like you rose to the occasion, you get the big win over Derek and then you’re in the the cage being interviewed by Rogan and there’s a moment there where you say something to the effect of like you you’re you’re starting to, you know, give us like one of your now, you know, infamous patented promos or poems, whatever you want to call them, and then you say, “Yeah, forget about all that.
” And I’m like, “Yes, Josh, this is it.
I’ve enjoyed our entire I’m like, “Okay, this is good.
this is the time to give us actually this version of Josh which I’m I’m delighted that you’re talking to us here and that you’re giving us you know this side of you and then you drop the Michelle Obama line and I’m sitting there thinking like ah why why did we have to go there you’re not going to fight Michelle Obama this is not a fight this is not a planting of a seed like Alex I thought yeah I thought uh I mean I thought I was giving her a compliment I don’t think anyone viewed it Michelle Obama being a man that’s like uh she knows how to deal with adversity you know she knows how to work hard like a man, you know, when the times get tough, you know, the the Why does that come to mind in that moment? Like, you just got this massive win.
Of all the things you can say, why even go there? I thought it was a a perfect opportunity to, you know, show the world how great this country is with uh with the freedom of speech.
You know, you go somewhere and you say something like that and you die, you know, and and I’m not suicidal, by the way.
Um, you know, I’m I’m in good spirits.
I’m a little under the weather right now, but other than that, I’m good.
And so, uh, in other parts of the world, you say some something like that, and you’re not here to speak to to Ariel Hawaii, you know.
So, um, yeah, I don’t know.
There’s a few ways there’s a few answers to that, you know, and and um there’s a certain side that that pokes at another side and there’s no outrage there and and so I thought it was a a perfect time to take a jab.
Do you regret saying it? Oh, never.
That’s one thing about my career.
I’m never going to uh you know, man, I think I was watching a a Cahudo video and he was like, “That’s one thing I regret is like all all the stuff I did.
” Um or you or you hear people backtrack even the Strickland uh um post-fight speech where he was like, “I’m trying to sell the fight and I don’t I I I don’t mean the things I say.
I mean, you’ll never you’ll never hear me uh backtrack from from what I say.
Were you expecting that kind of reaction? Like you had, you know, the Gavin Newsomes of the world to the DCs who I know you responded to on Twitter like everyone weighed in on this to Dana White himself and none very favorably.
Were you expecting that when you were thinking of this and eventually said it? Yeah.
I mean, at the end of the day, I don’t I don’t care.
I mean, now I’m not trying to piss off the the um the the Dana Whites and and Hunter Campbell and all the like, but they would also message me if they really felt like a certain way.
Yeah, they could comment and stuff like that, but if they really felt a type of way, they would message me.
Um, but at the end of the day, like all the other people, it’s like they weren’t they weren’t there when I was, you know, down.
They weren’t there when I was broken.
And so, I could I could care less what what anybody thinks.
You know, I’m I’m here uh to make a splash and I’m here to back up my words as well.
And so, if anybody feels some type of way, they know where to find me.
And and just to be clear, did they message you in the aftermath? No, they didn’t.
No one said anything.
Even Dana at the press conference, I’m sure you’ve seen, he said he didn’t like that he put out a statement.
Uh, but he said he also believes in free speech, so it sounded like he wasn’t going to hold you back or reprimand you.
That’s why I respect him so much, you know, that’s why I wanted to fight, you know, in the UFC cuz you got uh bosses like that where it’s like if I would have said that in the in the NFL, I don’t have a job anymore.
And so, um, that’s why I respect them so much.
Yeah.
They could always feel some type of way.
They could, you know, uh, I respect their opinions, but it’s it is a freedom.
We we do got freedom of speech.
And so, um, it is what it is.
I don’t like what other people say and but I I I got to deal with it.
I got to live with it.
I don’t think they will, but I want to ask you anyway.
Do you think that there is anything that you can do or say that would actually stop the UFC from giving you opportunities, meaning not push you because they’re worried or afraid of you doing or saying something? Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
You know what that topic is? I don’t know.
I mean, you know exactly what that topic is.
No, seriously, I’m not playing dumb.
Tell me.
Okay.
I mean, I I I think uh when you when you talk about the Jews or or you talk about Hitler being um a good guy and and stuff like that, I think there’s uh all companies are owned by by someone and and something.
So, if you um I mean, you piss people off uh talk about that type of stuff, then Yeah.
You think wouldn’t be here.
I vehemently disagree with that because some of the biggest names in the UFC have said a lot of things about Jews as of late and it hasn’t held them back.
Sean Strickland being one of them.
Uh, a lot of people I’m talking Yeah, but like I I mean I’m talking about maybe Bryce Mitchell in the sense of um he hasn’t been held back.
He’s gotten opportunities.
He just hasn’t won all his fights.
Well, that’s that is fair.
and maybe the matchups are not as uh as good, but uh yeah, I don’t know.
Strickland, I mean, he’s undeniable.
Like, it’s he has a a solid following and uh I mean, he’s ranked whatever.
He was he was always top three and so you have to give those type of guys a a chance.
Um I don’t know.
I don’t I mean, that’s how I feel.
I I I mean, but I don’t know.
So, do you have a line? Do I have a line? Uh, no.
But, I mean, they’re just I’m always just going to speak what I believe at the end of the day.
And so, uh, if I don’t believe in that, I’m not going to talk about it.
And so, in other words, is there something that you won’t is there a place you won’t go? Um, it sounds like no, just from the outside, but I don’t Oh, maybe maybe like a dead father.
I I don’t know if I’ll go there.
But I mean, it depends.
It just just depends.
I mean, at the end of the day, it’s just words uh in my eyes.
And if they make you feel some type of way, I mean, they could people could do something about it.
And so, that’s the beauty of this sport.
Do you feel like you have put out the blueprint? say, you know, outlandish things and get rewarded.
And more people should do this.
Yeah.
I mean, it’s the uh don’t hate the player, hate the game.
And that’s the game we’re playing nowadays.
And so, we’re playing a numbers game, and I’m going to win them every single time.
And so, that that’s how I that’s how I look at it.
And it is what it is.
Um that’s I don’t know.
That’s like I said, don’t hate the player, hate the game.
And I think that’s where the game’s at now.
And uh you kind of see that with uh the streamers and and maybe you even see it as well with you know I know you pay attention to the YouTube numbers and you got to that’s just the um that’s just uh I don’t know that that’s the business you chose to be in.
you know, everyone’s uh trying to get numbers and and and views and and so whatever brings the most eyes to my fight, that’s what I’m going to do.
Was there a time where you came to this epiphany where you realized I can’t just be another guy on the roster? I have to say outlandish things to get noticed.
Yeah, it was a mixture.
It’s a mixture of both where um I mean I I don’t like talking to the media.
I don’t like uh doing this type of stuff.
If if you told me just to show up and fight, I’d be happy to do that.
Show up and fight and uh and go back into hiding.
You know, that’s a perfect world.
That’s what I would like to do.
But um and so I don’t I don’t I don’t enjoy it, but I got to play a game with myself and I I like, you know, the avenue uh that I that I chose.
And so uh I’m willing to play the game and uh yeah, I’m I’m giving the biggest thing I’m giving I’m putting material out there for people to make a judgment about me.
And so, yeah, you could say it’s real or you could say it’s not real, but uh what’s real is I am having fun with it at least.
And so, um I don’t just sit back and be like, “Wow, that’s what’s the most outlandish thing I could say, you know, but if I like, you know, um a phrase or or uh I’m into like battle rap, you know, I like, you know, that type of performance.
” and and I like different type of art like that, like maybe even some poetry, you know.
So, um, and so I kind of implement it maybe not in a a very absorbable way, but it’s I don’t know, it’s fun.
So, do you come up with all that stuff or does someone help you? Yeah, I come up with some of it.
Um, I I would say I come up with most of it, but uh, yeah, whatever I’m watching on YouTube or whatever battle rapper I’m I’m listening to or or whatever I come across and I like that phrase or or or sparks an idea, you know? Uh, yeah, it just depends.
It just depends what uh where my inspiration comes from.
The irony is I I I believe you when you say that you don’t like doing media, but the irony is your your talking is what has gotten you a lot of this attention.
Yeah.
Yeah.
No, I mean, if you you uh you better adjust or you will be left behind.
And so, like I said, these people weren’t there when I was down uh when I was broken, when I had nothing.
And so, uh, and and speaking is not going to be the the reason why I don’t get to the place that I I want to go.
And so, uh, I’ll figure it out.
And I’ve been figuring it out.
And, um, if you don’t like it, I don’t care.
Uh, and so when when people do push back and criticize, you you you respond to them, but it does seem like sometimes it bothers you, like, you know, the DCs of the world and other pundits, you know, weighing in.
And so why respond if you don’t care ultimately why even acknowledge? Because I mean if it’s fighting words then then we could fight that that’s the reality.
And so yeah I’m not I won’t shy I won’t shy away from that you know.
So, I see an opportunity that uh maybe he’s feeling uh like he’s uh maybe wants to get back in there or or or someone uh wants to challenge me.
I I’m I’m open to fight anyone.
And so, um if they feel some type of way, we could fight.
uh my opinion, you didn’t ask for it, but just I I’ll get to the question here, is that like necessarily I’ve been doing this long enough to where not much offends me when it comes to fighters because we’ve seen it all and heard it all at this point, especially when it comes to MMA fighters.
Um what I wonder though is why don’t we see this side of you more often? Why do we see the character? Because I feel like this side, even if you’re saying that stuff as as controversial and outlandish as it is, would resonate more with people.
But when you’re playing a character of some kind, then it all gets sort of murky.
Why don’t we see this side of you more as opposed to the other sides that we see? Like I said, it’s not it’s not as fun.
And I don’t I I don’t really care what people want, you know? And so if it’s fun in my eyes and and maybe one day this will this is all you will get.
But um I do whatever I like and so it just depends how I’m feeling.
So when do you make that distinction when you make that decision what you’re going to do on that particular day that media availability that you know that scrum that like when do you decide that? Um, when do I decide that? Well, I always I’m always preparing, you know, it’s kind of um, yeah, I see it as performance-based and so if you’re going to do that type of stuff, then you kind of have to have some type of plan just like a a fight or something.
And so, um, I just in my mind I I think it would be funny and, uh, I I kind of go from there.
It’s like, oh, this is going to this is my opportunity coming up and and this is the idea that I, um, I I kind of have an idea of the plan.
Um, but I don’t know.
I I kind of just uh I’m going with the flow.
Do you think Pereira’s next? I would hope so.
I would hope so.
Um, but whatever they want to do.
Um, if if Aspenol is not ready to come back, then I’m ready to fight Sorlan and and and uh I like that matchup as well.
Um, it’ll be a fight of like uh the best athletes, you know, that the heavyweights ever seen.
And uh I think I’m I’m I’m more athletic than him.
I I I saw him play basketball.
I see how the way he moves.
He is I I see even his golf swing.
It’s just like he’s a uh he’s a master of movement.
But I I still believe I I’ll go down as the greatest athlete to ever step into the octagon.
I’m talking about allaround athlete as well.
I’ll beat him.
I mean, if you had a variety of sports, I would I would beat him at.
You You think mostly all of them.
You think Tom Aspenol is a coward? I don’t know what his deal is.
Um, yeah, maybe he’s playing that.
Maybe how I see it, we we’re all playing characters and so um uh maybe that’s his character.
Maybe that’s uh uh maybe that’s his angle of trying to get out of his contract and and trying to move to boxing.
And so if that’s what he wants to do, cool.
I want to be heavyweight champion in the UFC and so uh just move aside and me and Sir Gone will fight.
Jamal Hill is moving up to heavyweight and he said he he wants to fight you.
What do you make of that? I mean he could he could join the queue.
You know, everybody wants to fight me.
So, um I have I feel like I have the most buzz around my name.
Uh rightfully so.
Um, and so yeah, I’m sure I mean, but how many that doesn’t that fight doesn’t even make sense to me.
I mean, how many losses is he coming out off of, you know? Um, former champion though, you know, I know a different weight class, but yeah, if he could win a few, you know, if he could win a few, that would be great.
Um, sure, I’m I’m open for it.
But, uh, yeah, I mean, it just that fight doesn’t make any sense to me.
I want to get to the to the belt and I’m like I’m really close and so uh if I don’t fight for the belt next then I’m open to fight you know Pereira and so those that’s kind of where my mind’s at.
But yeah.
Are there any guys in the UFC that aren’t teammates of yours that you like that you feel like you have a kinship with that you wouldn’t, you know, start anything with if you’re up there at a press conference or backstage with? Um, I try not to even think about it like that.
I’m not even trying to have friends in this game, uh, if I’m being honest.
But, uh, I mean, I felt like me and Sha Mali were cool.
Um um yeah, we briefly talked obviously I was on Gachi’s side.
Um I just feel like I could resonate with that type of person and uh and I understand where Sha Mali is coming from as well.
And so those are those are a few, but I don’t I don’t want too many more.
Uh uh I don’t want too many more names to to add to that list, you know.
Yuri Paskca is pretty like beloved and yet it seemed like you had an issue with him.
Where did that come from? Yeah, I mean that that would be a good that would be a good fight, you know, if he could he could uh find his way back.
I’m trying to um transcend the the the the divisions um especially middleweight uh 205 heavyweight where it’s like you got all these guys that are kind of similar sizes uh for the most part and to me I don’t think size always matters in a fight and so I mean he’s a big guy even Carlos Oldberg I mean we stood next to each other it’s like these guys are bigger than me.
Even some of these uh these middleweights is like Sean Strickland as well.
We’ve we’ve trained together and it’s like he’s when he’s out of uh out of camp, he’s arguably a bigger human than me.
And so, um, I think a lot of middleweights are like that as well where I mean eventually we could have like a BMF division where, um, we could maybe meet at a certain weight if if they have to if that’s how you sanction it where it has to be a certain weight class.
Maybe it’s 220, 225 if we all want to meet there.
I think there’s a lot of interesting matchups and that’s I feel like that’s exciting for the fans.
Uh, I’ll let you go in a moment, but I I appreciate this.
It’s a rare look at you, and I know you don’t like doing this.
Um, were you bummed when Shane Gillis sort of, you know, poo pooed what you had to say? No, I mean, what what did you expect him to say in that moment? You know, like he’s I’m sure he has sponsorship money as well.
And so, uh, he’s sponsored by Bud Light.
And so, I mean, that was a good answer by him.
you know, why why would he um stand tin toes on on on that? And so I respect everyone’s opinion.
That’s not going to uh change.
You do you respect everyone’s opinion or do you just say like, “Hey, you’re entitled to your opinion.
” I respect everyone having an opinion.
Okay.
It’s their opinion.
Yeah.
And Yeah.
Yeah.
Like you said, they’re they’re entitled to it.
And so, um, yeah, I just, I mean, he didn’t he didn’t say any fighting words, so I I liked his answer.
So, was there was there any retort to what you said that annoyed you that bothered you? No, because I’m also aware of um because you could also you there’s a few ways to go about it where you you don’t have to address it, but I mean if someone’s shoving a a recorder in your face and he asks you a question, you’re not going to say no comment.
You have to give him an answer, I guess, in that moment.
And so, it is what it is.
I mean, I still like Shane Gillis.
He’s a good comedian.
Were you surprised that Tapora ended up losing? No, cuz that was one of those things where uh it was kind of like the Pereira Surl gone where uh the more I thought about it, the the more I kind of changed my opinion cuz Taporia in my eyes was the uh the best UFC fighter uh right now.
But I knew if Gachi could withstand um the storm and just being he had unorthodox uh things that that he was doing uh where Gachi would dip and then grab that uppercut and hit him with the uppercut.
You know, it’s like it’s it’s untraditional and only a guy like Gachi or someone with that type of feel, that type of experience could pull that off.
And so he was able to withstand uh the fire because I mean he’s been in those type of those types of fights uh for a long time.
And I think uh Taporia makes the mistake of uh he maybe he trains a little too hard in the sense of I’m not against training hard cuz I I mean if you saw how I trained um you would understand why I get the results I get but trains a little too hard in the sense of he beats up his uh his teammates and so now the the teammates fear him where now he’s not getting a certain and look.
And uh that’s the downfall of uh of Taporia where if you’re always hitting people in the liver, you’re always dropping your teammates.
Uh the teammates are kind of shelled up.
They’re scared to hit you cuz rightfully so, no one wants to be dropped at uh in practice.
And so um I think that probably uh came into play.
Actually, uh, Conor McGregor actually said something very similar last week on our show.
I don’t know if you heard that, but had a similar assessment.
Yeah, we I mean, if you’re really, uh, aware of how you train and how you’re supposed to train, I think you come to those conclusions.
And uh I think people get too carried away of the ego of training where I do train hard, but I I uh man I don’t think I’ve ever hurt one of my teammates.
And so there’s just I have good body control uh in that sense.
And I’m not looking to uh drop or hurt any of my my training partners cuz it’s like now they’re going to second guess training with you.
and you do that enough times, then no one wants to practice with you and everyone’s going to fear you at practice.
You want a healthy balance uh in practice where the guy is still trying to test you.
Um and so you have to practice your defense.
And I think that’s why his distance and timing was off uh because because of that.
And so he was running into the jabs.
He was running into different things because people do uh respect him in in in practice too much.
And maybe that was the thing with Pereira as well where he gets away with walking marching forward in this that stance and then you run into a jab because no one’s really throwing a hard jab at you in practice because they respect who you are.
where um I I find partners that still, you know, are uh going to give me a a solid look.
I don’t want my partners to hold anything back.
Uh and they can trust me that I’m uh not going to hurt him in any way.
The issue with him, is it just because he chimed in with the prayer stuff or was was there something else? Did something else happen? cuz it definitely seemed like he was getting the brunt of your of your trash talk and and it was personal.
You know that, right? I mean, you’re talking about his ex-wife, his family.
That’s as personal as it gets.
Yeah.
I just I mean, he he bucked up and I don’t like that he bucked up for no reason.
I wasn’t talking to him and then he wanted to chime in and uh he wants to throw a water bottle or whatever he threw at me.
And uh I just think uh some of these small guys, they they’re delusional in in the sense of uh they um they have false confidence because they’re uh they’re hiding behind a weight class.
And if it was um a different day and age, we would all fight and they would be no more.
They would always lose to a guy like me because I’m simply bigger than them and they wouldn’t be relevant.
Uh what what what happened at the weigh-ins? like you know you stumbling and it looked like some throw up uh real or not.
What was the uh significance behind that? Why did you do that? Like I I mean just it’s funny to me.
Everything that I do is funny.
You’re just trying to entertain yourself basically.
Yeah.
I mean what do you want me to do? They gave me short underwear and I weighed I weigh 230.
I weigh 230 lbs and you want me to get in small underwear in front of you guys and and weigh in on a scale that we can’t uh I mean we can’t upgrade to an electronic scale where now this this guy is trying to figure out and and have us stand there for 10 minutes figuring out what ounce this little uh old scale.
Uh the whole idea is just is is stupid to me and so um I don’t know having fun with it.
Do you think you’ll fight again this year? Um yeah, I would yeah I would say so.
I might even fight two times uh jeez.
This uh this by the end of the year.
Um yeah, there’s I think there’s news on the on the horizon.
Oh [ __ ] So you you actually have an appointment.
You have a date.
Possibly.
What do you got? Come on.
You’re not afraid of anything.
Tell us.
Give us the goods.
You’re afraid of the man.
You’re afraid of the man.
You’re not afraid of the man.
No.
Because I don’t want to.
You break your news.
Yeah.
No.
To a certain extent.
Yeah.
No.
Um because I don’t want to pigeon pigeon hole myself and and and mess up some money.
So, you think this is what would pigeon hole you, not the other stuff? You think this is worse than that? You breaking Yeah, there’s Yeah, there’s money on the line.
There’s money on the line on this one.
So, in what way? Can you just explain that? Yeah.
Uh, for example, if I if I don’t fight for the title, Yeah.
then then that’s a certain pay.
And so, if I if I do fight for the title, then it is.
And you think if you announce this, they’ll take it away from you? Yeah.
They’re like, well, this kind of has to happen now.
So, well, now if you say it, you’re backing them into a corner.
No, no.
I I I’ll leave it there.
I’ll leave it there because there is money on the line.
So, will you fight for the belt in 2026? There’s a great chance.
Wow.
That is wild.
That Who would have thought, right, at the beginning of the year? Surely you didn’t think that.
This This has to be surpassing your wildest dreams.
Yeah.
I said I think on the contender series I said in two years I’d be champion or fight for the for fight for the title at least two years and but yeah no this is what happens when you um you express some courage and then you back it up and in and what vicinity like can you tell us the time frame when you might come back? It might be quicker than people would like.
Wow.
Wow.
Wow.
And and and lastly, last thing on the money, have you lost out on anything regarding any of this talk? Like you talked about Shane Gillis.
Do you feel like you’ve missed out on opportunities, sponsorship, anything like that because of this? No.
If anything, I I gained more money.
Okay.
You got more sponsorship.
Yeah.
I mean, you’re looking at uh maybe I I’ll coach a class on this one day, you know, but I got seven figures in seven months.
Just put it like that.
Okay.
So, um I might by the end of the year this might be a3 to4 million year.
Wow.
You know, so did Trump say anything to you afterwards? No, he just said uh he was the one that requested me to fight on the card.
So, uh I just I just said uh thank you and uh um I love his courage and I hope to have that amount of courage, you know, one day.
And you gave him a necklace, right? Yeah, it was a it was a card that uh um I probably should have chose a different card.
Uh, but it was my personal rookie card and it’s and it it said uh Shaman Yo Mama in reference to the Alex Pereira that I that I wrote on it a few days ago.
And so uh uh and then it was my signature.
It was my signature rookie card and they they put it on a necklace for me.
And so why do you say you probably should have given him another card? I would have liked it a little bit more personal to him.
Maybe maybe wrote something to him, but that’s all I had.
Regret the time.
Regret.
Is that a regret? No.
Never.
I’ll still never.
Nice try, Ariel.
Nice try.
No, I don’t I don’t regret anything.
If he doesn’t like it, he doesn’t like it.
Imagine one day you’re seeing him, you know, do a press conference and it’s uh in the back of the Oval Office, that thing.
Well, that would be [ __ ] legendary.
Yeah, that’d be legendary.
But yeah, no, I’m uh that that was the only gift I had for him uh at that at that time.
And so at least I gave him something, you know.
I guess it was his birthday.
So happy birthday to him.
Final word, Josh.
To anyone who is bothered, offended by the things that you say, what is your response? Uh I mean, I don’t at the end of the day, I don’t care.
Uh, I’m I’m willing to lift the whole weight of the world and if they all want to go against me, it it won’t matter as long as they tune in.
Um, and they could root for the other guy that that’s the beauty of the sport.
And so, yeah, I don’t care.
I really don’t.
Um, and I just and if anybody has a problem with it, then they could uh try to beat me in a fight.
Thank you, Josh.
Appreciate it.
Congratulations on on everything and and thank you for giving us so much time.
Yep.
Take care.
You have a good one.
There he is.
Josh Hokit.
Uh kind enough to join us.
Uh a rare version of Josh and and dare I say uh the most interesting version of him because uh I feel like we were talking to Josh Hokit there and uh that was uh that was an interesting that was an interesting chat.
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