The high-stakes landscape of the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight division has sparked a war of words, with undefeated contender Josh Hokit finding himself at the center of a heated social media exchange. As Hokit prepares for the most significant opportunity of his professional mixed martial arts career, he has made it abundantly clear that certain names will simply not be part of his future once he captures championship gold. According to the undefeated standout, fellow heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov can look forward to watching from the sidelines, because a cross-paths matchup between the two is entirely out of the question.
Hokit, boasting an unblemished professional record of 10-0, is currently scheduled to challenge top-tier contender Ciryl Gane, who holds a promotional resume of 14 wins against 2 losses and one no contest. The high-profile championship showdown is set to headline UFC 334 on November 14, taking place at the world-famous Madison Square Garden in New York City. The announcement of Hokit securing the next title opportunity has sent ripples through the heavyweight division, drawing commentary, analysis, and criticism from various contenders eager to stake their own claim to the belt. Among the most vocal critics has been Volkov, whose outspoken assessments of Hokit’s abilities and path to the championship quickly prompted a sharp and unfiltered response from the American fighter.
Josh Hokit says Alexander Volkov will never get his chance, mocks heavyweight résumé
The tension between the two heavyweights escalated when Volkov openly dismissed Hokit’s championship credentials, characterizing the undefeated contender as an easy stylistic matchup. Furthermore, the Russian veteran went on record predicting that Gane would successfully defend his standing and defeat Hokit at Madison Square Garden. Rather than letting the commentary slide, Hokit seized the opportunity to scrutinize Volkov’s competitive résumé, drawing direct comparisons between their respective histories inside the Octagon to dismantle his critic’s arguments.
Hokit pointed out a glaring differentiator in their career trajectories: he has successfully defeated prominent heavyweights Derrick Lewis and Curtis Blaydes—both of whom hold definitive victories over Volkov. The contrast in their accomplishments served as the cornerstone of Hokit’s argument that Volkov lacks the elite pedigree to share the Octagon with a fighter of his caliber once he ascends to the throne.
"Drago," a moniker well-known to MMA fans following Volkov’s long tenure in the sport, has recently secured consecutive decision victories over Jailton Almeida and Waldo Cortes-Acosta. Looking ahead, Volkov is scheduled to return to action against Rizvan Kuniev at UFC 333, which is slated for October 24 in Abu Dhabi. However, Hokit was quick to contextualize those victories as well, noting that Blaydes previously defeated both Almeida and Kuniev, further diminishing the perceived significance of Volkov’s recent run through the division’s upper echelon.
Beyond dismissing Volkov’s current standing, "The Incredible Hok" dropped a bombshell regarding his long-term athletic trajectory. Hokit boldly claimed that by the time Volkov manages to string together enough victories to legitimately earn a title eliminator or a fight against him, he will have already transitioned to and begun dominating the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s light heavyweight division.
The war of words eventually spilled over onto social media platform X, where Hokit pulled no punches in addressing his rival directly. In a fiery post that quickly garnered widespread attention from the mixed martial arts community, Hokit detailed his grievances and laid out his competitive philosophy regarding the matchup.
"Volkov saying he’d beat me easy is funny..he’ll never get the chance," Hokit wrote on X. "I just beat Blaydes and Lewis. Volkov lost to BOTH. Now he’s fighting Kuniev (who Blaydes beat), after squeaking by Almeida (who Blaydes dominated). I’m going to kill Ciryl, who he lost to twice. Zero finishes, pure boring. By the time you earn a fight with me, I’ll already be dominating LH."
The statement underscored Hokit’s immense confidence as he enters the final weeks of preparation for his upcoming championship bout at Madison Square Garden. With a flawless undefeated record and high-profile victories over established division veterans, Hokit is fully focused on adding Gane’s name to his resume on November 14. Meanwhile, Volkov will look to make a statement of his own when he steps into the Octagon against Kuniev in Abu Dhabi, attempting to prove that his path to championship contention remains viable despite the dismissal from the division’s newest title challenger.
