Tom Macrina

UFC 334 Main Event: Ciryl Gane vs. Josh Hokit

UFC Heavyweight Championship | 5 rounds | Madison Square Garden, New York

The Pick: Josh Hokit +185

Ciryl Gane makes his first title defense at MSG. He won the interim belt with a second-round TKO of Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 in June, then became undisputed champion when Tom Aspinall vacated. Gane is the rightful favorite, but we like the price on the challenger.

The champ: Gane is a polished athlete with elite footwork, range control, and counter-striking. When he gets to fight on the feet at distance, he’s tough to deal with. But both of his career losses came against elite grapplers, and both involved him being taken down and controlled on the ground.

The challenger: Josh Hokit has been a rocket since earning his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in August 2025. He’s 4-0 in the UFC with wins over Curtis Blaydes (Fight of the Night) and Derrick Lewis. A former Division I wrestler and football player, he brings high output, real durability, and a brash personality that doesn’t back down from anyone. His biggest question mark is that he’s never gone past the third round as a pro, but he won’t need to if the wrestling does its job.

The matchup: This is a classic athletic striker vs. power wrestler/pressure fighter. Gane’s losses give Hokit a clear blueprint: close the distance, take the fight to the mat, and make Gane work from underneath. Hokit has the wrestling pedigree to execute it, and the cardio and toughness to keep coming if the first attempts fail.

Gane should be favored, but at +185 we’re getting a live dog with a real path to victory. We’re taking Josh Hokit +185.

Let’s cash some tickets!