Josh Hokit has targeted an immediate UFC heavyweight title fight against Ciryl Gane following Tom Aspinall’s decision to vacate the undisputed belt. Aspinall relinquished the title after suffering a career-altering eye injury, opening the door for top contenders.
Aspinall’s decision follows a devastating double eye poke sustained during his October 2025 clash with Gane. Gane subsequently won the interim heavyweight belt and is expected to be elevated to undisputed status. Hokit, currently ranked sixth in the division, moved quickly to stake his claim. Following his recent victory at UFC Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn in June 2026, Hokit offers a distinct stylistic threat. The wrestling pressure fighter relies on physical cage control, aggressive takedown attacks, and heavy top control to deny elite kickboxers space and range.
Hours after Aspinall confirmed his exit, Hokit issued a direct challenge on social media. He stated: “The fans deserve Me vs Gane. I’ll give Ciryl what he has coming,”
The heavyweight division has experienced sustained disruption over recent years. Undisputed titles were previously relinquished by Francis Ngannou following his contract expiry and Jon Jones during a period of inactivity. Aspinall was expected to reset the weight class before his eye injury halted plans for a late 2026 rematch with Gane. Furthermore, former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira remains linked to the division, maintaining that illegal strikes from Gane dictated the outcome of their White House fight.
Hokit welcomed a future clash with Pereira while establishing his immediate title ambitions. He added: “If Alex can win 1 fight in my weight class, I’ll give it to him too, early ‘27. I’ll be the most active champ in the company.”
The UFC must now determine whether Hokit’s recent winning momentum is sufficient to jump the contender queue. With Gane expected to take the undisputed belt, the division requires direct clarity on its next headline matchup.
