Laura Sanko and Din Thomas break down Ciryl Gane vs. Josh Hokit for the UFC heavyweight title at UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden, and Din chooses the winner for the main event.
Din Thomas' take on Gane vs. Hokit
Winner: Ciryl Gane
Method of victory: Not specified
Fight: Ciryl Gane vs. Josh Hokit, UFC heavyweight title, UFC 334 main event
Why Din picks Gane:
Din Thomas sees Gane as the better and more experienced fighter of the two.
Gane has a 10-inch reach advantage, a bladed stance and a sophisticated kicking game that can keep Hokit at range.
Hokit has to prove early that he can get Gane down, or he'll be stuck striking at a disadvantage.
Din's biggest worry for Gane is an early foul that gets the crowd booing and puts him in his own head.
UFC 334: Gane vs. Hokit fight details
Detail | Info |
|---|---|
Event | UFC 334 |
Date | Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 |
Venue | Madison Square Garden, New York |
Main event | Ciryl Gane (c) vs. Josh Hokit, UFC heavyweight title |
Co-main event | Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes |
Watch the full Gane vs. Hokit breakdown
On One On One MMA, Laura Sanko and Din Thomas preview the UFC 334 main event, where Ciryl Gane defends the UFC heavyweight title against undefeated Josh Hokit at Madison Square Garden. They break down the tale of the tape, how Hokit built himself into a contender so quickly, why Gane's skills may be underrated because of his history of fouls, and each fighter's path to victory. Din chooses Gane, and the two answer fan questions on Hokit's wrestling, his diss track and how referees should handle early fouls.
0:00 Initial thoughts: why Josh Hokit is a fascinating case study
5:57 Tale of the tape: Gane vs. Hokit stats
7:40 How Hokit made himself a contender
14:06 Is Ciryl Gane underrated?
19:21 Paths to victory
23:52 Din Thomas' winner
24:36 Fan questions
Initial thoughts: why Josh Hokit is a fascinating case study (0:00 to 5:57)
Laura Sanko welcomes Din Thomas and sets up the main event: Ciryl Gane, whose only losses in the division came against Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones, defends the heavyweight title against Josh Hokit, who is 4-0 in the UFC.
Din said he's excited to see how Hokit approaches the fight after already dropping a diss track and an AI-generated promo. "He's a fascinating guy," Din said, adding that he hasn't seen any fighter pull off this kind of persona at Hokit's level, this fast.
Laura said Hokit's characters, including a nervous "scared Josh" who admits he's a fan of his opponents, are caricatures of how many fighters really feel. Din pointed to Hokit's range as a fighter, from dominating Derrick Lewis to standing toe to toe with Curtis Blaydes.
"He's got a great right hand. He's got one of the better right hands in the heavyweight division," Din said.
Tale of the tape: Gane vs. Hokit stats (5:57 to 7:40)
Laura ran through the numbers. Hokit lands far more strikes per minute, but he also absorbs far more and has the weaker striking defense. Gane has the big size and reach edge, while Hokit has the stronger wrestling numbers.
Stat | Ciryl Gane | Josh Hokit |
|---|---|---|
Age | 36 | 28 |
Last weigh-in | 248 lbs | 231 lbs |
Height | 6'4" | 6'1" |
Reach | 81 in. | 73 in. |
Significant strikes landed per minute | 5.40 | 9.29 |
Striking accuracy | 61% | 64% |
Significant strikes absorbed per minute | 2.30 | 5.28 |
Striking defense | 60% | 48% |
Takedowns per 15 minutes | 0.66 | 3.73 |
Takedown accuracy | 23% | 47% |
Takedown defense | 47% | 77% |
Submission attempts per 15 minutes | 0.6 | 0.4 |
Laura called Hokit's 9.29 significant strikes per minute a possible heavyweight record, and noted that Gane attempts more submissions than most heavyweights.
How Hokit made himself a contender (7:40 to 14:06)
Din said the Blaydes fight is when he realized Hokit could "fight, fight, fight," not just beat lower-level heavyweights. Laura added that the swagger is part of it, and both said Hokit has gotten further, faster than they expected.
Laura shared a story from the White House card, where she ran the stage and interviewed winners. She told Hokit he could do his thing, but she wasn't letting go of the microphone. "He dogwalked me all over that stage, but it was pretty great," she said.
Din said much of Hokit's success comes from his athleticism. He's short and light for a heavyweight, but he stays compact, moves his feet and wrestles well.
"He sort of manufactured himself into a legit fighter based on his athleticism," Din said. He added that Gane matches him athletically and is the better fighter, so the real question is whether Gane has "that dog in him."
Is Ciryl Gane underrated? (14:06 to 19:21)
Din said he thinks Gane has always been better than most people believe, but that mental blocks and a quieter personality have kept him from fighting at his full ability from first bell to last.
Laura said Gane's energy during fight week before his fight with Tom Aspinall in Abu Dhabi felt different, and that we still haven't seen the fullest expression of his skills. Din said Gane's career has been shadowed by fouls, but that he doesn't believe Gane cheats on purpose.
"He has to take himself to a dark place where he just doesn't care," Din said, explaining that Gane's fouls come from flipping that switch as a naturally nice person.
Both called it a "lazy take" to label Gane a bad grappler, with Din noting that his coach Fernand Lopez says they grapple constantly. "I think he's finally gotten there now," Din said of Gane's growth as a fighter.
Paths to victory (19:21 to 23:52)
Din said Hokit has to establish early that he can take Gane down, even if he can't hold him there, because striking at range against Gane's bladed stance and 10-inch reach advantage would put him at a severe disadvantage. From there, he wants Hokit to make it messy and land his right hand. Laura said she might even give Hokit the power edge.
For Gane, Din wants him to keep his distance and use his feints, like he did against Alex Pereira. But he said Gane has to land something first, because Hokit won't respect feints alone. Laura pointed to Gane's kicking game, including oblique, side, front and calf kicks, as a way to keep Hokit on the outside.
Din's biggest worry is an early foul from Gane. "The crowd starts booing, then he gets in his head and has a poor performance," he said.
Din Thomas picks the winner (23:52 to 24:36)
Din picked Gane, despite all his praise for Hokit.
"I think the better fighter of the two is Ciryl Gane," Din said. Laura added that Gane is "certainly more experienced as well," but didn't make a formal pick of her own.
Fan questions (24:36 to 34:05)
Din said Hokit's diss track isn't on his playlist, but he thought it was well done, and he was sure Hokit made it himself rather than with AI. On wrestling, he said Hokit can't rely on reactive takedowns and has to shoot on his own terms. "He's got to be a bully," Laura said.
On early fouls, Laura noted that referees have started taking points immediately for eye pokes. Din said a fighter's history shouldn't count, but expects referees to give Gane no leniency. Laura argued eye pokes won't stop until coaches change how fighters spar, and Din agreed, pointing to how Petr Yan posts his hand with a closed fist.
Both agreed Hokit's lack of experience against elite opponents won't matter. "He could get outskilled for the first two rounds and then just turn it into a dog fight," Din said. Laura compared Hokit's willingness to "sit in the fire" to Sean Strickland's pressure against Israel Adesanya, and said she wants to sit down with Hokit for a real conversation.
Laura pointed viewers to One On One's breakdown of the co-main event, Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes.
Gane vs. Hokit questions answered
Who does Din Thomas pick to win Gane vs. Hokit at UFC 334?
Din Thomas picks Ciryl Gane to beat Josh Hokit, calling Gane the better fighter of the two. Laura Sanko noted Gane is more experienced but didn't make a formal pick.
What is Josh Hokit's path to victory against Ciryl Gane?
Din Thomas says Hokit has to establish takedowns early, make the fight messy and land his right hand, which Din calls one of the best in the heavyweight division.
When and where is UFC 334?
UFC 334 takes place Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York, with Ciryl Gane defending the UFC heavyweight title against Josh Hokit.
Discover more from bet365
Read the latest UFC news on site.
