Josh Hokit wasn’t impressed by what he saw from Derrick Lewis at UFC 324.
The two fighters appeared on the first pay-per-view card of 2026, and now they’re set to meet again at one of the most anticipated events in recent UFC history.
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Just moments after Hokit’s hard-fought win over Curtis Blaydes, he was booked for a quick return to face Lewis on June 14 at the White House event.
Hokit’s been making headlines with his comments about Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria ahead of UFC 327, but he’s also not holding back when it comes to talking about Lewis. When asked what he thought about ‘The Black Beast’ during a recent appearance on The MMA Hour, Hokit didn’t mince words.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Josh Hokit says Derrick Lewis ‘gave up’ in loss to Waldo Cortes-Acosta
Lewis will be looking to slow down Hokit’s rise in the UFC heavyweight division and avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since 2023.
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The UFC’s all-time knockout leader began 2026 with wins over Rodrigo Nascimento and Tallison Teixeira, but was then stopped by Waldo Cortes-Acosta in January.
Hokit caught that fight live in Las Vegas and had plenty to say about how Lewis handled Cortes-Acosta’s power.
“He’s got the most knockouts in the heavyweight division,” Hokit acknowledged while previewing his return during an interview with Simon Head for UFC.com.
“On paper, he’s a respectable opponent; he’s a household name. But I don’t respect anybody who gives up on themselves in a fight, and that’s what he showed in his last fight.
“He’s a bigger name in the UFC, a household name, so it’s just going to bring more eyes to the event and to the matchup, and I’m going to make the most of it,” he added.
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Lewis found himself added to the White House card after US President Donald Trump personally asked Dana White why he wasn’t included initially. That move now gives Hokit a bigger platform for both his fighting style and outspoken persona at an event with massive visibility.
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