TLDR
- Ciryl Gane has been elevated to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion after Tom Aspinall vacated the title due to eye problems
- Dana White admitted he made a mistake when he said Friday that Gane would not become undisputed champion
- Gane will defend the title against undefeated Josh Hokit at UFC 334 on November 14 at Madison Square Garden
- White expressed disapproval of Hokit’s controversial comments but said winning fighters don’t need to be liked to succeed
- The card will also feature Kayla Harrison defending her bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes in the co-main event
Sources: yardbarker.com | cagesidepress.com | independent.co.uk
UFC president Dana White corrected himself Saturday about Ciryl Gane’s championship status. The French heavyweight will now be introduced as the undisputed UFC champion when he defends his title against Josh Hokit on November 14.
White had told reporters Friday that Gane would not become the undisputed champion. When asked what changed in 24 hours, White admitted “Nothing. I messed up.”
Gane was elevated to undisputed champion after Tom Aspinall vacated the heavyweight title this week. Aspinall has been dealing with ongoing eye problems from an injury that happened in his fight with Gane last October.
The two fighters met in October 2025, but the bout ended in a no-contest in the first round. Gane landed multiple eye pokes on Aspinall during the fight, forcing the stoppage.
Aspinall underwent several surgeries after the injury but has not fully recovered. He made the decision to give up the title rather than continue to delay the division.
Dana White is already worried about Josh Hokit becoming UFC champion ðŸ˜
"I got a lot of thoughts on that. Lots and lots."
"I'm not saying I don't like Josh Hokit. I literally don't f*cking like anything Josh Hokit says. I'm gonna have to deal with that." pic.twitter.com/czZySY7fXF
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 20, 2026
Gane Becomes First-Ever Undisputed Champion
Gane won the interim heavyweight title in June 2026 with a knockout victory over Alex Pereira at the White House. He becomes the UFC’s first-ever undisputed heavyweight champion, having held the interim title twice in his career.
The 36-year-old Frenchman will make his first title defense at UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden in New York. His opponent will be Josh Hokit, an undefeated contender with a 10-0 professional record.
Hokit has won all four of his UFC fights since joining the promotion through Dana White’s Contender Series. Three of those victories came by stoppage, with his most recent win coming against Derrick Lewis at UFC Freedom 250.
White Addresses Hokit’s Controversial Comments
Hokit has drawn attention for his outspoken personality and controversial statements. He once claimed at the White House that former first lady Michelle Obama was “a man,” comments that White publicly denounced.
When asked about Hokit getting a title shot, White said he had “lots and lots” of thoughts. “I literally don’t like anything Josh Hokit says,” White told reporters Saturday.
White explained that he doesn’t control what fighters say outside the cage. “I don’t police what people say, and if you keep winning, I say it all the time, I don’t have to like you for you to thrive here,” he said.
The UFC president compared Hokit’s style to a WWE character who uses “cheap heat” to get attention. Despite his personal feelings, White acknowledged that many fighters he dislikes have been successful in the promotion.
“I’m going to have to deal with that. That’s a me issue,” White said. “And I’m sure a you issue.”
UFC 334 will feature a second title fight in the co-main event. Women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison will defend her belt against Amanda Nunes, who is coming out of retirement for the fight.
The Harrison vs. Nunes bout was originally scheduled earlier in 2026 but was postponed when Harrison withdrew due to a neck injury. White said the UFC would have news about Alex Pereira’s next fight soon.
