MIAMI — Josh Hokit has the goods and a shtick to go with it.
The standout wrestler and former college football player for Fresno State entered UFC 327 on Saturday night with plenty of doubters and critics.
The heavyweight put all of those to bed with an incredible decision win over Curtis Blaydes, one where there were an obscene 351 significant strikes landed between both combatants.
It was one of the best fights in UFC history, electrifying the crowd and styling the whole way.
Hokit surely looks like the gift that keeps on giving in the UFC, as his American flag-wearing self is exactly what the promotion needs — an American star.
Talk about making an impression on the promotion.
The UFC was so thrilled with Hokit’s performance that President Donald Trump apparently demanded that he fight Derrick Lewis on the White House card later this year.
“President Trump looked at me and said, ‘Why is Derrick Lewis not on the card?’ ” White said post-fight. “I ran over to Hokit as he was getting into the ambulance, and he said, ‘I accept.’”
Hokit, who was born and raised in California, weighed in at 235 pounds for this fight against Blaydes, who came in at the heavyweight limit of 265 pounds.
A 29-pound difference wasn’t enough to stop Hokit on Saturday night in one of the best fights we’ve ever seen, especially at heavyweight.
I’ll leave with this. I took my own horn and beat my own drum,” Hokit said post-fight in the octagon after he just stunned a capacity crowd. “But if you think you can beat me at a fist fight, boy, is you dumb? And PS, Alex Pereira, Chama these nuts.”
Pereira, of course, will be fighting on the White House card in June and has moved up to heavyweight to fight for the interim title.
Though who knows? Maybe a win for Hokit in June would set him up for a title shot and a fight against Pereira down the line, too.
It’s all in front of the wrestling trash talker that continued to flip the bird to Blaydes throughout an action-packed fight on Saturday.
Regardless of how you shake it, he’s the big winner of UFC 327, and the promotion badly needed it.
“You won’t hear any doubt out of me about Hokit anymore,” White said post-fight.
What will you hear? Check cashing and a new American-born star in the UFC.
Just what the doctor ordered.
