Josh Hokit Cites 8-Fight UFC Deal as Alex Pereira Suggests He Could Be Cut

Q: With the champion sidelined by contract disputes, will the heavyweight division be thrown into chaos after this weekend's interim title fight?

Yes — the heavyweight division is set up for more uncertainty than clarity after this weekend, even if the UFC has a provisional path forward. The key point is that Tom Aspinall’s absence is not simply a normal injury layoff. He is recovering from a serious eye injury, and his manager Eddie Hearn has publicly said Aspinall should not face the interim-title winner under his current deal because he is underpaid. That means the usual next step — a unification bout — is not guaranteed even if Pereira or Ciryl Gane wins on Sunday. That creates a real risk of a stalled title picture. If Pereira beats Gane for the interim belt and Josh Hokit also wins, the UFC would have multiple marketable heavyweight options but no certainty that the undisputed champion will return quickly or accept the next fight on the promotion’s terms. Hokit’s own rise, after beating Curtis Blaydes and signing a new eight-fight contract, adds another contender to an already crowded top tier. Still, “chaos” may overstate it. The UFC does have a structure: crown an interim champion now, then pursue a unification fight when Aspinall is healthy and his contract situation is resolved. The problem is that the business dispute could delay that process and leave the interim champion functioning as the division’s de facto leader. So the division is not directionless, but it is vulnerable to prolonged confusion if Aspinall’s return and contract issues are not settled soon after this weekend.

3 articles · Updated · MMA Fighting · Jun 12

Josh Hokit said he is not leaving the UFC after Alex Pereira suggested he might not remain with the promotion, pointing to a newly signed eight-fight contract.
Pereira made the remark at Wednesday's UFC White House media day, saying Hokit would still fight Sunday but that he had heard Hokit might not be part of the organization going forward.
Hokit argued his standing is secure after his last outing, when he beat Curtis Blaydes by unanimous decision at UFC 327 and collected two $100,000 Fight Night bonuses.
That win set up Hokit for a bout with Derrick Lewis at UFC White House, while Pereira meets Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in Sunday's co-main event.
If both win, the feud could move closer to an eventual matchup in a heavyweight division still awaiting undisputed champion Tom Aspinall's return.