Sonnen: A Hokit Title Win Would Reshape the Heavyweight Division

Chael Sonnen believes a title win by Josh Hokit would change how the UFC heavyweight division is run, and how the promotion and the sport are seen. He shared the view on his official YouTube channel.

Hokit meets Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight belt in the main event of UFC 334 on November 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It is the American's first UFC title shot, and Gane is the reigning champion from France.

Sonnen, a former UFC fighter who now works as an analyst, pointed to the attention Hokit already draws without a belt. Hokit is a polarizing figure whose socio-political statements and trash talk have angered many people. Sonnen indicated that his influence would only grow once he holds the title that many consider the most coveted in the sport. In his reading, a Hokit reign would put far more eyes on the UFC and on MMA as a whole.

"It's going to look very, very different"

"If Hokit wins, okay? The way that division is gonna look, and the way that division is going to be led, and the attention that that division is going to have on it," Sonnen said.

He added that names would be "specifically and explicitly" called out and "put on blast", and that it would all "look very, very different".

Sonnen appeared to accept that Gane stands in the way, and said Hokit, whom many have likened to heavyweight greats such as Cain Velasquez, has the talent to win. Gane, he warned, is an incredibly skilled fighter and is likely to pose a bigger challenge than the opponents the unbeaten Hokit has faced so far.

"It's going to be very different. The sport, the division is going to look very different in the Hokit era. But he's got a big task," Sonnen said.

His remarks come at the 4:10 and 7:17 marks of the video.

Source: MMA Sucka