O'Malley backs Hokit to stun Gane at UFC 334 and remain 'an absolute menace'

Sean O’Malley is backing Josh Hokit to pull off one of the biggest upsets in recent UFC heavyweight history when Hokit challenges Ciryl Gane for the title in the main event of UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

“I want to see Josh Hokit win so bad,” O’Malley said on his YouTube channel. “I want to see him continue this f*cking character and be just an absolute menace to the UFC. I am nervous.”

Hokit’s rise has been remarkable by any measure. The ‘Incredible Hok’ only began competing in MMA in 2023 and has just 10 career fights to his name. After signing with the UFC off the Contender Series last year, he has rattled off four consecutive wins on the back of relentless aggression and wrestling, defeating Derrick Lewis and Curtis Blaydes along the way.

Gane, by contrast, brings a vastly more decorated résumé to the cage. The accomplished former kickboxer has only ever lost to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones, and this summer he claimed his second interim heavyweight title with a knockout of Alex Pereira at UFC White House. He was subsequently elevated to full champion after Tom Aspinall suffered a setback in his injury recovery.

O’Malley is under no illusions about the scale of the task facing Hokit, and laid out precisely what he believes the challenger must do to win.

“Josh Hokit is going to have to crack Ciryl Gane early, which puts him in danger, but it’s also one of the only ways he can win this fight,” O’Malley said. “If he can steal the momentum from Ciryl Gane, hurt him early — he has to do that every round. Ciryl Gane is dangerous.”

O’Malley was equally candid about the risks of Hokit engaging at close range. “Getting anywhere close to Ciryl Gane is going to be so f*cking dangerous,” he added. “Could he knock him out? Yes. Is it likely? Not early. Could he take him down? I think he’s going to have to just try to mix it up.”

Despite those reservations, O’Malley’s enthusiasm for Hokit’s disruptive presence in the division is clear. Whether the challenger’s wrestling and raw aggression can neutralise Gane’s elite striking over five championship rounds remains the central question heading into Saturday night.