Whittaker: Hokit has zero chance against Gane

Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has delivered a brutally honest assessment of Josh Hokit's chances against Ciryl Gane at UFC 334.

Whittaker appeared on Submission Radio to discuss the upcoming heavyweight title fight.

He was asked directly whether he gives Hokit any chance against the reigning champion.

"No shot. Zero," Whittaker said.

The response was immediate and without hesitation.

Whittaker then explained why he believes Gane holds such a decisive advantage.

He pointed to Gane's striking ability as the key factor.

"I think Gane striking would have to be up there with some of the best in the UFC at the moment," Whittaker said.

He also emphasized the unusual combination of size and speed that Gane brings to the heavyweight division.

"The fact that he can transfer that like 110-120-kilo sort of weight towards it, and he's fast still," Whittaker added.

Gane weighs approximately 242 to 264 pounds, which is typical for a UFC heavyweight.

His movement and footwork have drawn comparisons to fighters in much lighter weight classes.

Whittaker's assessment carries weight because he has fought at the highest level of the sport.

He held the UFC middleweight championship from 2017 to 2019.

He has shared the octagon with elite strikers and grapplers throughout his career.

UFC 334 is scheduled for November 14, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The event is headlined by the heavyweight title fight between champion Ciryl Gane and challenger Josh Hokit.

Gane enters the fight as the defending champion.

He won the undisputed title after Tom Aspinall vacated the belt due to an ongoing eye injury.

Aspinall's injury occurred during his no-contest against Gane in October 2025.

The former champion has been dealing with complications from that injury for more than a year.

Hokit comes from a strong wrestling background.

He was an NCAA Division I All-American during his college career.

That wrestling base has been the foundation of his rise in the UFC heavyweight division.

Whittaker acknowledged that wrestling could be the one area where Hokit finds an opening.

He questioned Gane's wrestling and ground game.

"Yeah, I would be interested to see if Hokit like really doubles down on his wrestling background and takes it to the ground and what happens there because we haven't seen a great showing of Gane takedowns and ground game," Whittaker said.

This represents the one note of uncertainty in Whittaker's otherwise dismissive assessment.

Gane has not been extensively tested on the ground in his UFC career.

His fights have largely been decided on the feet, where his striking has dominated opponents.

Hokit's path to victory, according to Whittaker, would require him to fully commit to his wrestling.

That means repeatedly shooting for takedowns and forcing Gane to defend on the mat.

If Hokit can get the fight to the ground, it becomes an unknown territory for the champion.

But Whittaker made clear that he does not believe Hokit will succeed in doing so.

The former middleweight champion's overall verdict was definitive.

Not everyone in the MMA world agrees with Whittaker's assessment.

Former BMF champion Jorge Masvidal has publicly backed Hokit to win.

Masvidal appeared on the Deep Waters show to discuss the matchup.

He believes Hokit's wrestling will put Gane under constant pressure.

Masvidal emphasized that Hokit will be relentless in going for takedowns.

He went so far as to say he will bet on Hokit to leave the octagon with the heavyweight belt.

The split between Whittaker and Masvidal reflects a deeper debate within the MMA community.

Wrestling has historically been a reliable equalizer in MMA.

Fighters with elite wrestling have often neutralized superior strikers.

The question is whether Hokit's wrestling is good enough to overcome Gane's striking advantage.

Gane has faced wrestlers before and has not been taken down consistently.

His takedown defense has not been thoroughly tested against a Division I All-American.

Hokit has the credentials to test that aspect of Gane's game.

The heavyweight division has been in a state of flux since Aspinall vacated the title.

The winner of UFC 334 will have a target on their back from multiple contenders.

Alexander Volkov has made a strong case for the next title shot.

He recently defeated Rizvan Kuniev at UFC 333.

Volkov has won seven of his last eight fights.

His only loss in that stretch was a controversial split decision to Gane in December 2024.

UFC CEO Dana White has acknowledged that the decision was unjust.

Despite his record, Volkov has struggled to generate fan interest.

His decision wins have not made him a viral sensation.

He has tried to boost his media presence but with limited success.

At the UFC 333 press conference, White did not seem to recognize him.

Volkov has also said that a belt does not matter much to him.

"A belt does matter, maybe," Volkov said.

"It matters more for fans than for me. A belt doesn't make me a better or worse fighter."

Tom Aspinall remains a wildcard in the heavyweight title picture.

His eye injury has kept him out of competition for over a year.

It is unclear when or if he will be cleared to fight again.

If he returns, he would likely be fast-tracked to a title shot.

Alex Pereira is another potential contender.

Pereira has become a massive pay-per-view star.

The UFC may consider him for a title shot if it makes business sense.

Sergei Pavlovich remains a dark horse in the division.

He has the power to knock out any heavyweight.

But he has not yet secured a definitive number-one contender spot.

For now, all eyes are on UFC 334.

The fight between Gane and Hokit will determine the immediate future of the heavyweight division.