Josh Hokit Added to UFC Freedom 250 White House Card Following Win Against Blaydes

Josh Hokit moved into the UFC heavyweight contender ranks and onto the UFC Freedom 250 White House card after a wild main event bout against Curtis Blaydes.

Dana White Adds Hokit to the White House UFC Event

The light heavyweight title bout wasn’t the only matchup that energized the sold-out crowd of almost 18,000 people. The heavyweight clash between No. 5-ranked Curtis Blaydes and rising prospect Josh Hokit turned into a chaotic three-round battle, setting a new UFC heavyweight record with 351 combined significant strikes. Of those, Blaydes landed 151 to the head at 87% accuracy, while Hokit connected with 164 at 93%.

Shortly after the fight, UFC CEO Dana White revealed that Hokit had been added to the UFC Freedom 250 card, where he’ll take on veteran Derrick Lewis on the White House lawn. Interestingly, White admitted he wasn’t impressed with Hokit’s showboating heading into last night’s fight, and his feelings didn’t improve once the action began. However, Hokit’s performance inside the Octagon ultimately changed the UFC CEO’s view of the California native, leading him to offer Hokit a spot on the White House card.

A few weeks ago, White updated on the White House event, saying that the organization for it is almost finished after he talked with President Donald Trump. The event is scheduled to be held in June to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the USA.

How Did the Fight Go?

Hokit set the tone for much of the fight on Saturday. He nearly stole the opening round with a barrage of strikes and a few taunting middle fingers toward a visibly stunned Blaydes. But the veteran steadied himself, rallied late, and swept the round on all three judges’ scorecards.

However, Hokit kept pressing forward, showing quicker hands and steadily breaking down Blaydes, whose face took quite a beating. Blaydes demonstrated toughness by refusing to go down, but in doing so, he also helped produce a bit of history.

Unofficially, the bout featured the most significant strikes ever thrown in a three-round UFC heavyweight fight, surpassing the previous mark by nearly 40. What unfolded was an unexpected war of attrition between two fighters typically associated with wrestling-heavy styles.

Hokit, who appeared in the UFC for just the third time, fought with the urgency of a man chasing a career-defining statement. Meanwhile, Blaydes seemed to stay upright more out of pride and stubbornness than anything else. 

In related news about the White House UFC event, popular podcast host and UFC commentator Joe Rogan has expressed concern recently that Iran might target the event in response to the war, which has been ongoing for weeks now.