UFC 327: Josh Hokit added to White House card after fever dream of an upset over Curtis Blaydes

Josh Hokit entered both the contender tier of UFC heavyweights and the UFC Freedom 250 White House card on Saturday, in the most demented possible way.

Facing former challenger Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327, Hokit took a win by unanimous decision win (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds of some of the most jaw-dropping action in UFC heavyweight history. Both men were gasping for air by the end of the first round, but maintained their torrid pace until the final bell.

They are SWINGING‼️

[ #UFC327 | LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/Tdyg0z6R73

— UFC (@ufc) April 12, 2026

Soon after the fight, UFC CEO Dana White announced Hokit had been added to the UFC Freedom 250 card and will face another veteran in Derrick Lewis on the White House lawn.

Clearly, the UFC liked what it saw from a fighter who was being given a big jump with a top-5 opponent.

Hokit-Blaydes sets record for significant strikes

Hokit was the instigator for most of the fight Saturday. He was on the verge of stealing a first-round win with a litany of strikes — and middle fingers — to the surprised Blaydes, but the veteran regrouped and took control enough to take the round on all three scorecards.

But Hokit just kept coming and had the faster hands, progressively turning Blaydes’ face into hamburger. Blaydes showed some heart by staying up, but all that ended up accomplishing was the creation of a little history.

Unofficially, it was the most significant strikes ever thrown in a three-round UFC heavyweight fight, by nearly 40 strikes.

Curtis Blaydes (161) and Josh Hokit (142) *unofficially* combine for a new UFC heavyweight three-round record with 303 combined significant strikes landed (old HW record: 266). #UFC327

— Michael Carroll (@MJCflipdascript) April 12, 2026

It was a completely out-of-nowhere war of exhaustion between two men who usually skew toward the wrestling end of the MMA spectrum. Hokit, competing in only his third UFC bout, was fueled by hunger for a reputation-setting win (and to back up a titanic amount trash talk), while Blaydes seemingly stayed up out of either spite or pride.

Hokit over Blaydes was an upset. The fight going the distance was the bigger upset.

Hokit wasn’t too tired or addled after the decision to forget a clearly rehearsed speech along the lines of a misanthropic Dr. Seuss:

My electric slide can power this whole damn city. I’m the ouch that runs his mouth and wears dirty shoes at your house just to say ‘F*** your couch.’ I toot my own horn and beat my own drum, but if you think you can beat me in a fist-fight, boy is you dumb.

He then proceeded to deliver a NSFW callout in the direction of Alex Pereira, who fights for the interim heavyweight belt at the UFC White House event. And now he’ll be joining him in D.C.