Josh Hokit has once again inserted himself into the UFC heavyweight title picture, this time taking aim at Alex Pereira after the former two-division champion called for a rematch with Ciryl Gane.
Pereira released a video on Monday on social media making his case for another fight with Gane. Pereira has maintained that illegal shots to the back of the head played a role in his second-round stoppage loss to Gane at UFC Freedom 250 in June.
Hokit, however, has little interest in seeing the matchup run back.
Responding on social media, the unbeaten American heavyweight delivered a typically provocative message aimed at Pereira and the UFC's matchmaking:
“When @ufc starts letting guys that try to feed carrots to a school bus & Brigitte Macron's stunt double, to do their matchmaking, this company is f'ing cooked. USA pays the bills around here. The fans deserve a American champion and a fucking fight we didn't just see in June!!!!”
The post represents Hokit’s latest attempt to position himself as an alternative to another Pereira-Gane matchup.
Pereira made his heavyweight debut against Gane at the White House, challenging for the interim heavyweight championship. Gane stopped Pereira in the second round, while Pereira subsequently protested the officiating and argued that strikes to the back of his head were not properly addressed.
Hokit, meanwhile, has repeatedly campaigned for a fight with Pereira. The American heavyweight defeated Derrick Lewis on the same UFC Freedom 250 card and has since continued to call for a high-profile matchup.
The feud between Hokit and Pereira is not new. Hokit previously said he was willing to fight Pereira after the Brazilian's heavyweight debut, telling the UFC, “Maybe Ciryl Gane fights Aspinall. I’ll fight Pereira still.”
Hokit has also proposed a path toward the heavyweight championship that would put him directly in the middle of the division's current logjam. In June, he called for a fight with Gane before offering Pereira a title opportunity later in the year if he won.
More recently, Hokit has continued to target both Gane and Pereira as potential opponents. A report published Monday said a Pereira-Hokit fight has been discussed, although no bout has been officially announced.
