Weidman Sees Hokit Upsetting Gane at UFC 334

Chris Weidman thinks Josh Hokit can beat Ciryl Gane in the main event of UFC 334. The former middleweight champion made the pick on the Deep Waters podcast.

Gane, 36, is booked for his first defense as undisputed heavyweight champion. He holds a 14-2 record with one no contest. The title became his after Tom Aspinall vacated it and the interim champion was elevated.

The challenger is the undefeated, No. 6-ranked Hokit, who is 10-0 as a professional. He is 28 and earned his UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series in August 2025. In the UFC he is 4-0, with a unanimous decision over Curtis Blaydes and a second-round TKO of Derrick Lewis.

The odds surprised Weidman

DraftKings lists Gane at -265 and Hokit at +215. Weidman, a newly inducted UFC Hall of Famer, did not expect a gap that wide.

"I'm actually shocked that the odds are that favored for Gane. I am shocked."

Weidman credits Hokit's wrestling and compares his pressure to Cain Velasquez, the two-time UFC heavyweight champion known for relentless pace and heavy top control.

"I think Hokit is fine. I think he's good, bro. He's tough. He's good on the feet and we've seen him rag doll people in wrestling. I think he wrestles in this fight. He gets close."

Size and style

Gane is 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds. Hokit is 6-foot-1 and 231. Weidman said the difference will matter. Even against Lewis, a much bigger man, takedowns did not come easily for Hokit.

Still, Weidman sees pace and pressure as Hokit's best chance: bring Gane to the cage and look for takedowns there. He added that Hokit has heavy hands.

He also questioned Gane's light-footed, in-and-out style. In his view it burns a lot of energy, much like the approach of Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson. If Hokit cuts off the cage and keeps up the pressure, Gane could tire and end up on the mat.

Gane lost twice. Francis Ngannou controlled him on the ground at UFC 270, and Jon Jones submitted him quickly at UFC 285.

Source: MMA Sucka