TLDR
- Josh Hokit criticized Tom Aspinall for his extended recovery from eye surgery following an eye poke at UFC 321
- Hokit accused Aspinall of using manager Eddie Hearn as a bargaining chip against UFC president Dana White
- The undefeated heavyweight called for Aspinall to be stripped of his title or cut from the UFC
- Hokit wants to fight interim champion Ciryl Gane for the title later this year
- He also expressed interest in fighting Alex Pereira but wants to face Gane first
Sources: mmasucka.com | sports.yahoo.com
Undefeated UFC heavyweight contender Josh Hokit launched a series of attacks against champion Tom Aspinall this week, calling for the British fighter to be stripped of his title.
Hokit posted a lengthy thread on social media Friday criticizing Aspinall’s recovery from an eye injury sustained last October at UFC 321. The American fighter accused the champion of being a “holdout” who doesn’t want to compete.
“Tom gets an eye poke, gets butt hurt none of us bought it, then hires Dana’s enemy Eddie Hearn so he could become a boxing bargaining chip in Eddie’s beef with Dana,” Hokit wrote on X.
Aspinall became the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion in June 2025 after a long stint as interim champion. His fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 ended in a no contest after Gane eye-poked Aspinall during the bout.
The injury required multiple eye surgeries that have kept Aspinall out of action since October. He recently indicated he has been cleared to train and wants to return to fighting.
🚨𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗜𝗡: Bisping is furious over Josh Hokit: “It wasn’t Tom’s fault, it was Jon Jones’ fault” 😳
🗣️ “First of all, we know Tom wasn’t faking anything. He had serious eye pokes. He had to have surgery. It’s an absolute damn shame he’s being called a holdout.”
🗣️ “It… pic.twitter.com/Sc9igzkqI0
— FightLuck (@FightluckBet) August 25, 2026
Hokit Responds to Bisping’s Defense
Hokit’s comments came after UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping defended Aspinall against accusations of stalling his return. Bisping, who competed for years while legally blind in one eye, said Aspinall “wasn’t faking anything” and needed time to recover properly.
“You can’t rush back from an injury like that. You’ve got to take time with the eyes,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel.
Hokit used Bisping’s own story to criticize Aspinall’s approach. He praised Bisping for continuing to fight despite being blind in one eye and eventually winning the UFC middleweight title.
“Tom told the ref and Doc immediately that he ‘can’t see.’ He knew what would happen by saying that,” Hokit wrote. “Ciryl was piecing him up, busted his nose open and he wanted out.”
The 10-0 heavyweight also questioned Aspinall’s recent partnership with boxing promoter Eddie Hearn. Hearn’s Matchroom Sport has been in conflict with UFC president Dana White, leading to speculation that Hearn is advising Aspinall to delay his return for a bigger payday.
Hokit Calls for Gane Fight
Hokit demanded a title fight against Ciryl Gane, who became the interim UFC heavyweight champion for the second time after knocking out Alex Pereira in June at UFC Freedom 250. Gane’s victory came in Pereira’s heavyweight debut.
“I’m 10-0 and #4 in the world. Give me Ciryl Gane in ’26 and I’ll break Merab’s defense record in ’27,” Hokit stated, calling for Aspinall to be stripped of his title.
The former NFL practice squad player has gone 4-0 in the UFC with three finishes. His most recent victory was a knockout of Derrick Lewis earlier this year, cementing his status as a top contender.
Hokit also addressed a potential fight with Alex Pereira but suggested it should wait. “If me and Alex fight next, at 38 he is never fighting for the HWT Title again,” he wrote.
He proposed facing Gane first, then defending the title multiple times before eventually fighting Pereira. “Let me beat the guy that he can’t first and then he will get his title shot again right after,” Hokit said.
Speculation has grown that Aspinall will face Gane in a championship unification bout by the end of this year. Hokit has positioned himself as next in line for a title shot regardless of how the UFC resolves the heavyweight championship situation.
