Josh Hokit is ready for his title shot.
On Saturday, Hokit challenges Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 334 in New York City. It’s been a miraculous rise up the ranks for Hokit — who just a year ago was fighting his way into the UFC from the Contender Series — spurred on by his exciting fighting style and his outspoken mic work. And at the UFC 334 ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday, Hokit stuck to the script, talking to Gane all through their final faceoff before delivering a final warning to the champion.
“Ciryl, the code word is gonna be colon cleanse, because I’m gonna beat the shit out of you,” Hokit said. “Listen, tomorrow night, the future is born, and the past is put in the f*cking casket. Tomorrow, Gotham is saved.”
For his part, Gane kept cool, responding to Hokit’s trash talk in the same dismissive way he has throughout this buildup.
“It’s just another fight for me,” Gane said. “I’ve got a lot of experience, and I’m gonna show you this Saturday.”
The co-main event on Saturday is a long-awaited women’s bantamweight title fight between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes, and while things got a little tense between the former teammates at Thursday’s pre-fight press conference, both women kept things cordial for their final face-off.
“I can’t wait for tomorrow,” Nunes said. “Happy to be here. New York, see you guys tomorrow. And again!”
“I’m humbled, I’m hungry, and I’m grateful,” Harrison responded. “This has been a lifetime in the making for me. I look at my life, and it’s a dream. And tomorrow it’s my night. God is good. Let’s go get it! Time to kill for the love of killing! Let’s go!”
The other 22 fighters on the UFC 334 card also faced off at the ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday, but they were not alone as, before the ceremonial weigh-ins kicked off, UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van squared up with Manel Kape for the first time.
Van and Kape are set to fight each other in the main event of UFC 336 in January, and shortly before the ceremonials, an opening press conference was held for the event. Van didn’t show up for the press conference, but made it in time to still face off with Kape, where their animosity was very apparent.