Josh Hockit's public persona has undergone a significant transformation since his MMA debut at Bellator 300 in October 2023, when he appeared humble and genuine. In the period since, particularly in 2026, Hockit has adopted an exaggerated theatrical character that includes antics at weigh-ins and other promotional appearances. An interview with Ariel Helwani in January featured Hockit maintaining this over-the-top persona throughout, which the author found difficult to watch. The commentary suggests that while this approach may generate short-form video content and views, constant theatrics risk becoming tiresome. The post reflects on how Hockit was still authentic as recently as six months prior but has since fully committed to this character-based approach.
