Josh Hokit calls for vacant UFC heavyweight title fight

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In the wake of Tom Apsinall‘s UFC title vacation, Josh Hokit has inserted himself into the picture.

The controversial heavyweight has enjoyed much success during his short UFC stint thus far. Wins over Max Gimenis, Denzel Freeman, and Derrick Lewis, alongside a fight-of-the-year contender clash with Curtis Blaydes, have firmly placed Hokit in the upper echelons of the division. With the heavyweights being plunged into a state of sudden upheaval, Hokit believes he could force his way into a title fight, considering his standing in the weight class.

Seizing the opportunity, Josh Hokit took to social media to make his case. Believing the division has been in limbo for far too long and hoping it moves on from Tom Aspinall as soon as possible, Hokit called out interim champion Ciryl Gane.

“The fans deserve me vs. Gane,” Hokit said in a post on X. “I’ll give Ciryl what he has coming. If Alex can win 1 fight in my weight class, I’ll give it to him too, early [2027]. I’ll be the most active champ in the company.”

Tom Aspinall’s recovery hasn’t gone as hoped, forcing him to vacate the world title while he works on getting back to full fitness. Aspinall left behind a division stacked with top contenders, but Hokit believes nobody deserves a shot at the title more than him.

Pointing toward his undefeated record, his American heritage, and his ability to bring eyes to the product, Hokit has been angling for a title fight for some time. And while he would welcome a meeting with Alex Pereira, he has long had his sights set on Ciryl Gane.

Just last month, Hokit again called out Gane, insisting the Frenchman should cherish the chance of facing him.

“The Incredible Hok says Ciryl Gane should be excited to fight him because this will be the 3rd time in his career that people will tune in to see a press conference that he was a part of… New Jersey, DC & TBD,” Hokit said. “Incredible Hok says Ciryl might even get cheered for the 1st time in his career.”