UFC 334: Gane vs. Hokit Picks
When: Saturday, November 14, 2026
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
TV: Paramount
by Loot of Predictem.com
Fight Analysis:
UFC 334 features a big-time main event with a heavyweight title in the offing as reigning champion Ciryl Gane takes on top contender Josh Hokit. Eight years younger than the champion at 28, Hokit has managed to become a top contender after turning pro in 2023 on the heels of an All-American NCAA wrestling career. Unbeaten and with all but one of his wins by stoppage, Hokit is coming off a 2nd round KO win over Derrick Lewis on the big White House card in June. On that same card, Gane consolidated his championship credentials with a 2nd round KO win over the feared Alex Pereira. Who will come out on top in what should be a violent heavyweight title fight on the 14th?
Ciryl Gane, 14-2 (7 KOs, 3 Submissions), (-260) vs. Josh Hokit, 10-0 (6 KOs, 3 Submissions), (+215)—Odds by Bovada
Ciryl Gane defends his UFC Heavyweight Title against Josh Hokit in the UFC 334 main event from Madison Square Garden. It’s an interesting fight to break down, with so much give-and-take in Gane’s standing as champion and Hokit being a relative neophyte. People have been reluctant to get onboard the Gane train and he’s really not supported as many champions have been. And in the other corner is a man whose top triumphs have come against contenders whose best days are behind them in Derrick Lewis and Curtis Blaydes. But he has looked fairly dominant in those wins and in his run through Dana White’s Contender series and a few early UFC appearances. How should we look at this?
I think it’s important to make the distinction with Gane as a champion with merit and a viable betting choice. There is some ammo against him. One could point out he has lost to Francis Ngannou, who would still be in the mix if not for a contract fallout. Known as a dirty fighter who wields the eye-poke, it led to his fight with Tom Aspinall ending in the first round, so that left a bad taste in people’s mouths. Throw in his first-round choke loss to Jon Jones and some have trouble buying into the idea that he’s a real champ.
Still, neither Jones or Ngannou are still around so it’s hard to leverage that against Gane for the purposes of betting against him in this fight. We don’t know how the Aspinall fight was going to play out, so that result isn’t easy to work into the equation. Fact is that for the last 5 years or so, Gane has been near or at the top of this weight class, holding wins over a slew of big names, with his win over Pereira in June nothing to shake a stick at. If you were to take the top 5-6 wins between the two guys, Gane would have all of them. He has been in a slew of five-rounders and championship fights. He has gone the full five-round championship distance several times, while Hokit has only seen the third round twice. Gane also runs roughly 15 pounds heavier than Hokit, while possessing a 4-inch edge in height and 8 inches in reach.
Hokit is a lightning-rod, using bombastic talk to gain attention with an almost pro wrestling vibe where he’s clearly going for the heel angle. It runs in sharp contrast to the more-subdued and businesslike Gane. But it’s a well-matched fight where the world-class wrestling of Hokit figures to make a heavy impact. Gane is no slouch in this department, but after seeing him get thrown around a bit by a man not known for wrestling in Ngannou and to a lesser extent Jones, I think Gane backers need to brace for some rocky moments, especially early.
There is little question that the early rounds could see Hokit throwing Gane around some, but maybe that’s when we see the assets of Gane begin to surface. That would be his experience, the fact that he’s probably the superior overall athlete, and also how he’s the more-reliable overall fighter. Throw in his proven stamina and his more-together stand-up technique, perhaps some avenues begin to open up for Gane if he’s able to brave the difficult early passages.
I like Gane’s mobility, where his athleticism allows him to utilize lateral movement, as his kicks force aggressive fighters like Hokit to think twice before rushing in for attempted takedowns. But just as Hokit is unproven in the late-rounds, we’re not sure that Gane can stand up without adverse effects to the in-your-face aggression of Hokit. It can be really non-stop with the takedown attempts, the swings, and the constant forward momentum that you also have to wonder if this is the kind of fight where Gane can stay nimble on his feet for five rounds.
In a straight-up appraisal of this fight, my lean would be that Hokit is biting off too much too soon and while Gane is far from an invulnerable champion, he’s still solidly in that top classification. That represents a quantum leap for Hokit opposition-wise and while he has been dominant up to this point, he’s still just a pro of a few years who has maybe landed in this spot prematurely.
But with Gane so solidly a favorite and Hokit currently fetching a +215 line from Bovada, I think the numbers start to make Gane a less-than-appealing selection. Hokit has come out of nowhere and exploded on the scene like gangbusters with an unheard-of five fights in a ten months span and maybe with his career inertia, along with the inertia he uses in the ring, he can just ride that momentum and his supreme wrestling to get the win. At this number, he’s worth a serious look. I’m taking Hokit in this one.
My Pick to Win: I’m betting on Josh Hokit at +215 betting odds. This is a big step up for Hokit, both in the quality of opposition and magnitude of the event, fighting the main event at Madison Square Garden. Gane lacks the air of certainty to warrant this price and Hokit has a lot of the qualities you’d like to see in an underdog with his capability to end fights and potentially dominate in spots with his wrestling.
