Why Dana White Admits He Gave Josh Hokit Tough Guys Over Controversial Post-Fight Mic Moments

Dana White's irritation with Josh Hokit reached a boiling point after the heavyweight made offensive post-fight comments referencing Brittney Griner and Michelle Obama.

The UFC CEO rarely hides his personal feelings about the fighters on his roster.

Now, the promoter has openly confirmed that those feelings directly influenced his matchmaking decisions.

Speaking publicly about the rising heavyweight contender, White made a stunning admission about Hokit's climb up the divisional rankings.

The UFC boss revealed that he deliberately matched Hokit against dangerous contenders in an effort to test him.

That matchmaking strategy came as a direct reaction to Hokit's abrasive behavior on the microphone.

THE ADMISSION ON THE JIM ROME SHOW

White addressed the situation candidly during an appearance on The Jim Rome Show.

The 57-year-old promoter explained how Hokit managed to earn a shot at the heavyweight crown.

Along the way, White admitted that his own bias played a role in the matchmaking process.

"Hokit was the fight to make," White stated when discussing the title picture.

White noted that the fighter had struggled to earn genuine appreciation behind the scenes.

"Hokit has been overlooked the whole time — not only by the fans and media, but me," White said.

The UFC boss then revealed why the matchups kept getting harder for the 28-year-old fighter.

"I didn't like some of the things he said, so I might've thrown some tough guys at him, and he passed every test," White admitted.

Despite his clear personal distaste, White acknowledged the athletic reality of the division.

"So, here he is," White continued.

"Like him or hate him, he's fought his way to the top, and there's no denying that this guy deserves this title shot."

WHERE THE DISTASTE BEGAN AT UFC 324

The tension between the UFC CEO and the heavyweight prospect did not happen overnight.

The friction started following Hokit's promotional appearance against Denzel Freeman at UFC 324.

Hokit secured a definitive knockout victory inside the Octagon that night.

Rather than keeping his post-fight comments strictly focused on competition, Hokit seized the live microphone.

He delivered an extended, theatrical speech heavily inspired by professional wrestling.

The speech featured harsh language and quickly crossed personal lines for UFC management.

Most notably, Hokit used his airtime to direct an offensive remark toward WNBA star Brittney Griner.

White did not watch the live post-fight interview in real time.

However, the remarks were quickly brought to the attention of UFC executives after the broadcast concluded.

"I don't love it," White said when asked about the Griner comments at the time.

A BLOODY WAR AND A TEMPORARY TRUCE

Following the Freeman incident, UFC matchmakers pitted Hokit against elite heavyweight Curtis Blaydes.

At the time of the booking at UFC 327, Blaydes occupied the No. 5 spot in the official heavyweight rankings.

Blaydes represented a major step up in competition and a classic litmus test for any rising prospect.

Hokit answered the challenge in brutal fashion.

He survived a grueling, bloody three-round war against the seasoned veteran.

Hokit emerged victorious via unanimous decision on the judges' scorecards.

His gutsy performance earned both "Fight of the Night" and "Performance of the Night" bonus honors.

For a brief period, that bloody display appeared to soften White's stance toward the outspoken fighter.

White admitted that while he still disliked the contender's "schtick," Hokit had undoubtedly "walked the talk."

The victory over a top-five contender momentarily earned Hokit the promoter's professional respect.

That fragile truce, however, proved to be very short-lived.

THE MIC MOMENT AT UFC FREEDOM 250

Hokit was soon booked against legendary knockout puncher Derrick Lewis at UFC Freedom 250.

Facing one of the most dangerous finishers in UFC history, Hokit once again passed the test.

He stopped Lewis inside the cage to extend his undefeated promotional run.

Yet the moment he secured another major win, Hokit returned to controversial verbal theatrics.

During his live post-fight interview, Hokit made an offensive comment directed at former First Lady Michelle Obama, calling her a man.

The remark sparked immediate backlash and completely shattered any goodwill he had built with UFC leadership.

White reacted with visible frustration to the controversial outburst.

The UFC CEO publicly stated that he stood firmly against fighters saying "nasty and false things" about people's families.

White emphasized that he "hated that kind of nonsense" inside his organization.

When Hokit was officially granted a championship opportunity, White made his lingering personal feelings unmistakable.

"I'm not saying that I don't like Josh Hokit. I literally don't f—king like anything Josh Hokit says."

HOKIT FIRES BACK ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Hokit has shown zero interest in toning down his abrasive persona to appease the boss.

After White's admissions surfaced regarding the deliberate matchmaking, Hokit took to his personal social media accounts.

The undefeated heavyweight issued a defiant response directly addressing the promoter's comments.

"You can send whoever you want," Hokit wrote online.

"Just don't send someone you want to see back in good health."

The unapologetic response reinforced Hokit's reputation as one of the most confrontational athletes on the UFC roster.

Rather than seeking approval from executive leadership, Hokit continues to lean into his antihero persona.

A MULTI-FRONT HEAVYWEIGHT WAR

Ahead of his title opportunity, Hokit has expanded his verbal crosshairs far beyond White.

The heavyweight recently released an explicit diss track aimed at several prominent names across the sport.