Josh Hokit demands heavyweight title shot against Ciryl Gane after Tom Aspinall vacates UFC belt following eye injury | MMA News
Josh Hokit has made his case for a shot at the undisputed UFC heavyweight title after Tom Aspinall officially vacated the championship. The surging heavyweight believes he should be next in line to face Ciryl Gane for the vacant belt.Hokit responded after an X page asked fans to choose between a rematch between Gane and Alex Pereira or a fight between Gane and Hokit. The American heavyweight made his position clear. He wants the fans to choose the matchup and promised to bring a highly aggressive challenge to Gane.
Josh Hokit wants Ciryl Gane fight for the vacant UFC heavyweight title
Tom Aspinall’s decision to vacate the UFC heavyweight championship has immediately created a new question for the division. The British fighter remains medically uncleared because of serious eye complications suffered in his fight against Gane.Recently, an X page named Championship Rounds asked fans which fight they expected to see next for the undisputed heavyweight title, Gane vs Pereira 2 or Gane vs Hokit.To which Josh Hokit replied, “The fans deserve Me vs Gane. I’ll give Ciryl what he has coming. If Alex can win 1 fight in my weight class, I’ll give it to him too, early ‘27. I’ll be the most active champ in the company.”Hokit also previously said he would gladly fight Pereira. He claimed he would “beat the piss out of him in a MMA, fist fight.”Notably, Aspinall had been out of action since his bout with Gane last October. He underwent multiple surgeries and treatments during his recovery. He recently returned to sparring and had agreed to a potential return date. However, another accident caused further damage to his right eye.Aspinall eventually decided that stepping aside was the best option for the division.“I cannot get medically cleared to fight right now. I know what it’s like to have your career put on hold and I want the other fighters to have the opportunity to compete for the title,” Aspinall wrote.His decision leaves Gane in a strong position. The French heavyweight currently holds the interim championship after defeating Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 in June.However, Pereira has already started campaigning for another opportunity against Gane. That has not gone down well with Hokit.Hokit previously criticised the idea of Pereira immediately receiving another title opportunity. He also questioned why only Pereira and Ilia Topuria should be considered for another championship fight after both suffered defeats at UFC White House in June. Hokit also made it clear that he wants fighters to earn their opportunities.“So it gives me great pleasure to use my platform today to speak the truth: neither Ilia Topuria nor Alex Pereira deserve a fucking title shot in their next fight. They both got handily destroyed. Make them earn it and fight their way back like everyone else”, he said.For now, Gane appears certain to be involved in the next heavyweight title fight. The biggest question is who will stand across from him. Hokit believes the answer should be him.
