
Robert
Whittaker has revealed what changed his perception of Josh
Hokit.
Hokit is scheduled to challenge Ciryl Gane
for the
Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title in the main
event at UFC
334 on Nov. 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Whittaker
recently previewed the matchup, picking Gane to emerge victorious,
after revealing which prefight antics from Hokit caught his
attention.
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‚I thought Josh was a moron‘: Robert Whittaker explains his
U-turn on Josh Hokit
Whittaker has clarified that he has nothing personal against Hokit.
The Australian revealed that while he initially considered Hokit a
moron, he has gradually become a fan of “The Incredible Hok.”
Hokit has quickly risen to stardom with his bizarre trash talk and
promotional antics. Whittaker explains that Hokit won him over by
drooling at the weigh-ins before his fight against Derrick
Lewis at
UFC Freedom 250. The former champion is impressed by Hokit’s
ability to completely immerse himself in the character he’s
playing.
“I thought Josh was a moron, right? And then I saw him commit to
the role so heavily by drooling on himself with that baby food that
I subscribed straight away,” Whittaker told Ariel Helwani. “Anyone
who can go that deep into a role has my subscription. I’m a fan
now… I think drooling baby food on yourself gets you a title
shot… Gane’s really good, man. And he has the resume to back it up.
Josh hasn’t had that lengthy résumé just yet. Don’t get so
personal. It’s not personal. I’m just looking at it on paper… If I
had to bet my house on it, I’m not betting on Josh. I’m gonna bet
on Ciryl.”
Robert
Whittaker shares what finally won him over on Josh Hokit,
but still has doubts about his chances against Ciryl Gane:
“I thought Josh was a moron, right? And then I saw him commit to
the role so heavily by drooling on himself with that baby food that
I subscribed straight away. Anyone that can go that deep into a
role has my subscription. I’m a fan now… I think drooling baby
food on yourself gets you a title shot. Josh hasn’t had that
lengthy résumé just yet. Don’t get so personal. It’s not personal.
I’m just looking at it on paper. If I had to bet my house on it,
I’m not betting on Josh. I’m gonna bet on Ciryl.”— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani)
November 9, 2026