Dana White has again put distance between the UFC and Josh Hokit after the heavyweight’s comment about Michelle Obama at UFC Freedom 250. Speaking on “The Pivot,” White called the remark “f*cking gross, inappropriate, and obviously not the opinion of the UFC,” adding that it was “a really unfortunate thing to happen that night.”
Hokit made the comment after stopping Derrick Lewis by second-round TKO during the UFC card held on the White House South Lawn. In his post-fight interview, Hokit thanked President Donald Trump, spoke about his faith and then repeated the false conspiracy claim that Michelle Obama is a man, asking the crowd, “Am I right, America?” The moment immediately shifted attention away from the win and spread across MMA and political media.
Dana White Goes Off on Josh Hokit: “It’s Not the Opinion of the UFC”
White had already condemned Hokit’s remarks in a message following the event. While restating his position that fighters are free to speak their minds, the UFC CEO said he was against “nasty and false things” being said about people’s families and called the statement “nonsense.”
His latest response was more direct. White said the UFC’s White House event was intended as a major night for the promotion, with President Trump in attendance and the company staging fights at a landmark venue. Instead, Hokit’s unscripted post-fight line became a headline for the wrong reason. “It’s f*cking gross, inappropriate, and obviously not the opinion of the UFC. It was a really unfortunate thing to happen that night.”
Hokit has not apologized. During an appearance on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” he claimed he thought he was paying Michelle Obama a compliment, arguing that he meant she had handled adversity and worked hard. He also used the fallout to make a point about free speech and said he would not backtrack from his statement.
The explanation did little to ease the criticism. Former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis said Hokit was “getting in his own way,” calling the comment irrelevant to the setting and a joke that “did not land at all.” Du Plessis also suggested the heavyweight was trying too hard to be funny at a time when his unbeaten record and knockout win over Lewis should have been the focus.
For White, there is a clear separation between allowing a fighter to speak and treating that speech as UFC messaging. Hokit was not disciplined over the comment, and he later said the UFC had not contacted him about it, but White has made it clear the promotion does not stand behind the remark.
