Josh Hokit Wore Ridiculous Eye Patch and Goggles Costume to Troll Ciryl Gane at UFC 334 Presser

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Josh Hokit arrived at Thursday’s UFC 334press conference at Madison Square Garden wearing a ridiculous outfit. Donning gloves, a protective cup, a towel behind his head, an eye patch, and protective goggles, Hokit threw deliberate jabs at the champion, Ciryl Gane, who has been criticized for breaking multiple rules during his fights.

The undefeated challenger turned his pre-fight appearance into a full physical commentary on Gane’s history with fouls. Once the two fighters were brought face to face for the traditional faceoff, Hokit pulled the goggles off for a closer look at the heavyweight champion.

Hokit did not stop at the visual gag. He spent much of the press conference shouting at Gane, who sat largely silent across the stage, and at one point demanded the New York crowd join him in chants directed at the champion (h/t Home of Fight).

Gane’s Silence and the Aspinall Shadow

Gane’s no contest against Aspinall remains the defining controversy of his championship reign, even as he prepares for his first defense. 

The French heavyweight addressed the eye-poke criticism earlier in the week, but the official result of UFC 321—a no contest rather than a win or loss—continues to follow him into every promotional appearance.

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That bout was ruled a no contest, and the British fighter later vacated the heavyweight title while dealing with complications from the injury.

After Gane defeated Pereira at the White House for the interim heavyweight belt, he was promoted from interim champion to undisputed champion in September, setting up Saturday’s first title defense against Hokit.

Aspinall’s subsequent eye surgeries and decision to relinquish the belt only deepened the narrative that Gane’s path to the undisputed title ran through an accidental foul.

At the press conference, Gane absorbed Hokit’s taunts without retaliating, shaking his head at several points while the challenger dominated the microphone.

Leading up to the fight, Hokit has been the one making more noise of the two, even going so far as to learn curse words used in France to rattle the champion. During a UFC Embedded episode, Gane explained that Hokit misused the word and that it does not offend him.

When asked directly about Hokit’s antics, Gane conceded that the challenger deserved his title shot, offering a measured response that stood in sharp contrast to Hokit’s theater. The champion’s restraint may have been strategic, but it also left the loudest statement of the afternoon to a pair of plastic goggles.

What Saturday Actually Decides

Beyond the props and the profanity, UFC 334’s main event carries genuine competitive stakes. Gane enters as the favorite, a technically precise Muay Thai specialist who has won 14 of his 17 professional fights. 

Hokit is 10-0 in his overall MMA career and 4-0 in the UFC, with recent wins over Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis, but he has never faced anyone with Gane’s striking pedigree or five-round championship experience.

The fight also serves as a test of whether Hokit’s WWE-style persona can coexist with elite-level performance. 

UFC CEO Dana White, who has criticized Hokit for his past comments about former First Lady Michelle Obama, admitted he does not like Hokit’s “shtick” but defended the title shot as earned rather than gifted.

Despite White defending Hokit’s shot at the heavyweight title, the challenger led a chant insulting the UFC boss’s “bald head.”

With Hokit taking the opportunity to use the press conference to add to his growing list of antics, fans can see on Saturday night whether or not he can deliver a worthy performance in the cage.

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This story was originally published by Athlon on Nov 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.