Unbeaten Hasan admits he fears losing control at UFC 334 press conference more than his fight

Bilal Hasan has admitted he is more anxious about keeping his mouth in check at the UFC 334 press conference than he is about stepping into the octagon against Luis Gurule on November 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The unbeaten prospect, who carries a 10-0 record into his second UFC appearance, told Ariel Helwani that the combination of outspoken personalities scheduled to share the stage — headliner Josh Hokit and veteran Kevin Holland among them — is a recipe for fireworks he may not be able to avoid.

“If I let my mouth do its thing, man, I get in trouble more times,” Hasan said. “I feed off the energy, crowd and honestly, just the scenario. Sometimes I can’t control what I say, and it gets me in trouble, also pushes me into good directions as well. I’m nervous about not being able to control what I say. We’ve got Josh Hokit, we’ve got me, we’ve got Kevin Holland. We’ve got a bunch of characters on that stage.”

Hokit, who headlines UFC 334 against Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight title, has built a reputation for confrontational pre-fight theatrics and verbal sparring with opponents. Holland, one of the most loquacious fighters on the UFC roster, adds another unpredictable element to what Hasan expects will be a volatile afternoon.

Hasan’s rise to this point has been remarkably swift. He secured a UFC contract with a 45-second stoppage on Dana White’s Contender Series in August before making his promotional debut in Shanghai, China, just 18 days later — recording a second-round knockout victory. His opponent at UFC 334, Luis Gurule, enters the bout at 11-4.

For all the self-deprecating humour in Hasan’s press conference concerns, the underlying message is clear: he is a fighter who thrives on intensity and environment, and the charged atmosphere of a major Madison Square Garden card is unlikely to keep him quiet.