Josh Hokit’s crowd-pleasing moves raise alarm for coach before White House faceoff with Derrick Lewis

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Josh Hokit made quite an impression with his breakout win in the UFC earlier this month.

It was his third fight in the Octagon, and he came away with a victory over Curtis Blaydes that really put him on the map in the heavyweight division.

His divisive pre-fight behaviour was followed by a thrilling contest that fans will remember for some time.

Next up, Hokit is set to face Derrick Lewis at an event hosted at the White House. It’s another big opportunity, but also one that comes with plenty of risk.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Mike Winkeljohn says he’s concerned about Josh Hokit’s approach to entertaining fans at the White House

Josh Hokit and Curtis Blaydes kept the back-and-forth going even after their meeting in the Octagon at the Kaseya Center in Miami.

‘The Incredible Hok’ has built a reputation for trash talking his opponents both before and during fights, and this only added to what’s been a standout moment of the year so far.

But trying that approach against someone like Derrick Lewis is a different story, and Hokit’s coach Mike Winkeljohn isn’t shy about sharing his concerns.

Speaking on Submission Radio, he said: “Yes. Yes I am,” when asked if he’s worried about Hokit focusing more on entertaining than winning.

“Wrong time to prove how tough you are. We’ve got to get the W and win the easiest way… I just want the W, I don’t want the tough guy. The crowd loves it, everybody loves it but I don’t want to see him later on in life with brain damage, there’s no doubt about it.”

The addition of Lewis to the White House card might have come from Donald Trump’s influence, but Hokit’s showing in Miami earned him this spot on merit alone. Now there are expectations around what kind of fight fans will see from him.