Dana White confirms Ciryl Gane as undisputed UFC heavyweight champion after botched announcement

Ciryl Gane is the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion — and Dana White wants to make that absolutely clear after a public misstep clouded the picture. The UFC CEO acknowledged at the UFC 331 post-fight press conference that he had caused unnecessary confusion over Gane’s status following the Frenchman’s knockout of Alex Pereira at UFC White House.

“True [Ciryl Gane is the undisputed champion],” White said. “Nothing [changed], I f*cked up.”

The confusion arose after White declared plans to crown a new champion in November, suggesting the belt was still vacant. In reality, Gane had already been elevated from interim to undisputed champion once Tom Aspinall relinquished the title as he continues to recover from multiple eye surgeries. White’s correction sets the record straight ahead of Gane’s first undisputed title defence against Josh Hokit in the main event of UFC 334 on November 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The Hokit angle carries its own friction. White has made no secret of his distaste for the challenger’s conduct, most notably blasting him publicly after Hokit made remarks about former First Lady Michelle Obama during the UFC White House card in June. That view has not softened.

“I literally don’t f*cking like anything that Josh Hokit says,” White said. “That’s not going to change unless he changes, which I don’t see happening. I’m going to have to deal with that. That’s a ‘me’ issue.”

Despite his personal feelings, White stopped short of saying he dislikes Hokit as a person, and he acknowledged that distaste has never been a barrier to a fighter’s success inside the octagon.

“I don’t police what people say,” White added. “I say it all the time — I don’t have to like you for you to thrive here and do well and be successful. Many people that I do not like have done very well here.”

White conceded that with Hokit now one win away from becoming the face of the UFC’s heavyweight division, there is little he can do but wait for fight night to arrive. Whether Gane can silence the controversy with a dominant title defence at MSG on November 14 remains to be seen.