Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Nov 15

Alex Pereira Tells Josh Hokit He Won UFC 334 as Ciryl Gane Takes 5-Round Decision

Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Nov 15

Alex Pereira Tells Josh Hokit He Won UFC 334 as Ciryl Gane Takes 5-Round Decision

Q: Does Dana White's praise for the defeated challenger hint at a massive plot twist for the heavyweight division's future?

Yes — but it hints more at a reshaped contender queue than a shock title change. Dana White’s praise of Josh Hokit after UFC 334 was unusually strong for a defeated challenger. White said Hokit’s stock “goes up,” called him “the real deal,” and left the door open to an immediate rematch with Ciryl Gane after a razor-close 48-47 unanimous decision. That matters because the heavyweight title picture is already unsettled, with Tom Aspinall still sidelined and no firm return timeline. Alex Pereira’s backstage support for Hokit adds another layer. Pereira told Hokit, “For me, you won,” despite their recent tension and despite Pereira himself having unfinished business at heavyweight after losing to Gane earlier this year. White has also previously said a Pereira-Hokit fight is appealing, and Pereira is booked against Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 335. If Pereira wins, Hokit could be redirected into that matchup instead of a title rematch. So the “plot twist” is not necessarily that Hokit is about to leapfrog Gane or become champion by controversy. It is that a fighter who lost officially may have improved his leverage dramatically. Hokit now has at least two credible next paths: an immediate rematch with Gane or a high-profile eliminator-style fight with Pereira, assuming Pereira beats Pavlovich. In practical terms, White’s comments signal that Hokit is no longer just a failed challenger. He has likely become one of the division’s central booking pieces.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Nov 15

Backstage after UFC 334, Alex Pereira told Josh Hokit, "For me, you won," disputing the judges' call in the heavyweight title main event.
Ciryl Gane officially won the 5-round fight, but the report says it hinged on a couple of close early rounds and included split scoring from the judges.
Pereira has history with both fighters, and his exchange with Hokit revived talk of a future Pereira-Hokit matchup that Dana White has previously said he wants to book.
That possibility remains down the road: Pereira is set to face Sergei Pavlovich in the UFC 335 co-main event in December, while Hokit is seeking a rematch with Gane.