Sean Strickland has criticised Josh Hokit’s behaviour, saying he’s going too far to get attention in the UFC. Strickland believes Hokit’s persona is forced and compares him to online streamers. Strickland’s comments came ahead of his fight against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328.
Strickland’s Criticism of Hokit
Strickland didn’t hold back when discussing Hokit during a media scrum. He referenced Hokit’s behaviour, which includes rhyming every line during press conferences and threatening Jiri Prochazka. Strickland questioned Hokit’s maturity, suggesting he should stop trying so hard now that he’s established in the UFC.
“It’s like Josh Hokit. It’s like dude, you’re a grown ass man,” Strickland said. “You’re almost 30 years old and you’re acting like f*cking Jake Paul when he was 13. Like stop, bro. You made it. People know who you are. Just stop. You don’t got to go interview homeless people and be f*cking weird. Just fight now.”
Strickland acknowledged that he actually likes Hokit on a personal level. He said he has trained with Hokit and considers him a friend. However, Strickland finds Hokit’s public image to be too contrived, comparing it to a WWE skit.
Hokit’s Response to Strickland
Hokit responded to Strickland’s criticism with a challenge. “Let’s fight… I’ll show you the difference between me and Jake Paul,” Hokit wrote on Twitter.
Hokit also defended his persona, suggesting Strickland was envious of his success. “[Sean] Strickland, complaining about a persona is like a circus clown complaining about too many balloons. You’re just mad because my WWE skit has better ratings than your personality.”
Hokit’s Rising UFC Profile
Despite Strickland’s reservations, Hokit’s approach seems to be working for him in the UFC. He is undefeated in the UFC. Hokit is scheduled to fight Derrick Lewis at the UFC White House card in June. Hokit has quickly risen through the ranks, facing a former title challenger in only his third fight for the promotion.
Strickland faces Khamzat Chimaev in the UFC 328 main event on Saturday.