Hokit calls out Pereira after UFC Freedom 250, claims 'Poatan' weighed in too heavy at 251lbs

Josh Hokit wasted no time calling out Alex Pereira after UFC Freedom 250 at the White House on Sunday, arguing the Brazilian star’s heavyweight debut was undermined by carrying too much weight into the fight.

Pereira (13-4) challenged Ciryl Gane (14-2) for the interim heavyweight title but never found his footing. Gane hurt him early in the second round and finished with a barrage of shots to claim the belt. On the same card, Hokit (10-0) earned a dominant stoppage win over Derrick Lewis (29-14) to keep his unbeaten record intact.

Speaking in a post-fight interview, Hokit pointed to Pereira’s weigh-in number as a key factor in the defeat. “I think Pereira gained a little too much weight,” Hokit said. “I think he weighed in at 251 [pounds], that’s not good. You’ve got to be light, something that you’re used to. Maybe he got caught up in the heavyweight mentality, where I’ve got to be big, got to be powerful. No, you’ve got to be still fast, whatever you’re comfortable with.”

With new interim champion Gane expected to face undisputed heavyweight king Tom Aspinall in a title unification bout, Hokit sees a clear path to a high-profile matchup. “Maybe Ciryl Gane fights Aspinall,” he added. “I’ll fight Pereira still.”

The callout was not entirely out of nowhere. Hokit had already started an unprovoked feud with Pereira in the build-up to the event, using a derogatory phrase directed at the former champion both at the fighter hotel and again during his post-fight interview following the Lewis win. The provocations appear to have been a calculated attempt to position himself for exactly the fight he is now publicly requesting.

Pereira’s move up to heavyweight had been one of the most anticipated storylines heading into UFC Freedom 250, with the light heavyweight champion looking to become a simultaneous two-division titleholder. Instead, the night ended in a second-round stoppage, leaving questions about whether the weight gain that accompanied the transition worked against him.