TLDR
- Chris Weidman believes Josh Hokit can upset Ciryl Gane at UFC 334 using wrestling
- Weidman compared Hokit’s grappling ability to former champion Cain Velasquez
- Hokit earned his title shot after Tom Aspinall vacated the belt
- Weidman pointed to Gane’s previous losses to Ngannou and Jones as proof he can be controlled on the ground
- The fight represents a clash between Gane’s movement-based style and Hokit’s pressure game
Sources: yardbarker.com
Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman has predicted that Josh Hokit can pull off an upset victory against Ciryl Gane when they meet for the heavyweight title at UFC 334. Hokit earned his championship opportunity after Gane was elevated to undisputed champion following Tom Aspinall’s recent title vacation.
The matchup presents a clear stylistic contrast between Gane’s movement-heavy fighting approach and Hokit’s relentless pressure game. Weidman spoke about the fight on the Deep Waters podcast, sharing his analysis of how the challenger could win.
Josh Hokit showed up to the weigh-ins "drunk" and threw up on himself ðŸ˜
"So what, maybe I was drinking last night. Who wouldn't be. I have a giant black man that wants to knock me out." pic.twitter.com/YP02EnjmSS
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 13, 2026
Weidman Sees Hokit as a Velasquez-Style Threat
Weidman compared Hokit’s grappling prowess to former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, one of the most dominant wrestlers in UFC history. “If you watch Hokit, some of his fights before the Curtis Blaydes fight, I’ve seen him ragdoll people like Cain Velasquez did back in the day,” Weidman said, according to MMA Junkie.
The former champion described Hokit’s ability to control opponents on the ground with constant strikes and positional dominance. “Just non-stop punches from the back, just riding them, rag-dolling them around,” Weidman explained. “He has the potential of rag-dolling Ciryl Gane, for sure.”
Weidman pointed to specific evidence from Gane’s previous fights that support his prediction. The Frenchman has suffered losses to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones, both fights where Gane was taken down and controlled on the ground.
Movement Style Could Drain Gane’s Cardio
The former middleweight champion argued that Gane’s movement-based style requires high energy output over five rounds. He compared it to the karate-style approach used by Stephen Thompson, suggesting it drains cardio over the course of a championship fight.
“I think a guy like Hokit, who’s non-stop pressuring, eventually will start winning exchanges and getting the takedowns,” Weidman said, as reported by BJPenn.com. “I think he wears on Gane.”
Weidman believes Hokit’s constant forward pressure will force Gane to work harder defensively as the fight progresses. This pressure could create opportunities for takedowns as Gane tires from maintaining his movement.
The UFC 334 main event marks Hokit’s first opportunity to compete for a UFC championship. His path to the title shot has been described as controversial, though specific details were not provided in Weidman’s comments.
Gane’s elevation to undisputed champion came after Aspinall chose to vacate the title rather than defend it. This created the opening for Hokit to challenge for heavyweight gold.
Weidman’s analysis focuses on Gane’s vulnerabilities on the ground, which have been exposed in previous championship fights. Both Ngannou and Jones were able to implement wrestling-heavy gameplans against the French striker.
The fight represents a classic grappler versus striker matchup at the highest level of the heavyweight division. Hokit will look to implement the pressure wrestling style that Weidman believes can overwhelm Gane over five rounds.
