Dana White was surprised to learn that Alex Pereira and Josh Hokit had a friendly backstage encounter at UFC 334. The moment came after months of public tension between the two heavyweights. Pereira told Hokit he believed the American had beaten Ciryl Gane, while Hokit wished Pereira luck ahead of his fight with Sergei Pavlovich. The exchange came after Gane retained the heavyweight title with a unanimous decision over Hokit, winning 48-47 on all three judges’ scorecards. Pereira, who lost to Gane at UFC Freedom 250 in June, had been cageside for the main event.
Pereira shares a respectful moment with Hokit
“Hey bro, chama. Congrats, my brother. For me, you won,” Pereira told Hokit backstage, shaking his hand. Hokit replied: “Best of luck in your fight. Chama.”
The moment marked a sharp contrast to their earlier encounter in Washington, DC, where the two had to be separated. Pereira’s willingness to back Hokit publicly added a new dimension to their rivalry.
Pereira’s view carries personal history. He lost to Gane at UFC Freedom 250 in June, with Gane stopping him in the fourth round to claim the undisputed heavyweight title. Pereira has argued that the finishing sequence included illegal shots to the back of his head.
White reacts to the Pereira-Hokit handshake
Dana White was asked about the encounter during his post-fight press conference. “Did you see Josh Hokit and Alex Pereira ran into each other backstage after the fight?
White replied, “I bet it was. Oh, they shook hands? Here we go; we are heading in the right direction.”
He praised Josh Hokit’s performance despite the loss, calling it “incredible”. He noted that the fight broke both the significant strike record and the total strike record at heavyweight.
“I thought this guy was a big-mouth goofball, and I hated his shtick and the whole thing. I respect the s*** out of that guy. He’s the real deal. His stock went up with me,” White said.
Dana White previously teased the Hokit vs. Pereira showdown
Dana White had previously floated a potential fight between Hokit and Pereira, saying it “makes sense” regardless of the outcome at UFC 334. The backstage exchange suggests the two may have more in common than their public feud suggested.
Pereira is scheduled to face Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 335 in Las Vegas next month. A win would put him back in line for another shot at the heavyweight title.
Hokit, meanwhile, has vowed to return stronger. “I will never lose hope. I will be champion one day,” he said after the fight.
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