Dana White recounted how a fight for the White House event card was arranged in under an hour during UFC 327. After securing Derrick Lewis's agreement to compete, White planned to finalize details the following week. However, when Joe Rogan asked on the broadcast if there was room on the White House card, White immediately sent matchmaker Mick Maynard to speak with Josh Hokit. Hokit agreed to the bout while being loaded into an ambulance following his fight. The impromptu arrangement demonstrates the fast-paced, opportunistic nature of UFC matchmaking.
During the UFC 327 broadcast on April 12, 2026, UFC president Dana White revealed that a bout for an upcoming White House event card was assembled in less than an hour — with one fighter agreeing to the fight while being loaded into an ambulance.
White had already secured a commitment from heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis to compete on the White House card and intended to finalize the remaining details the following week. But when commentator Joe Rogan asked on air whether there was still room on that card, White acted immediately, dispatching matchmaker Mick Maynard to find a willing opponent on the spot. Maynard approached Josh Hokit, who had just finished his own fight that evening, and Hokit agreed to the matchup from a stretcher as paramedics prepared to transport him.
Lewis, known as "The Black Beast," is ranked eighth in the UFC heavyweight division. The 41-year-old American, who trains out of Main Street Boxing and Muay Thai, carries a professional record of 29 wins and 14 losses. Standing six-foot-three with a 79-inch reach, Lewis lands 2.46 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy, making him one of the most recognizable knockout threats in the sport's history.
Hokit, nicknamed "The Incredible Hok," enters the bout undefeated at 5-0. The 28-year-old has yet to accumulate significant tracked statistics at the UFC level, but a perfect professional record signals genuine promise in the heavyweight ranks.
Why it matters
- Lewis's ranking at number eight in the heavyweight division means the White House card carries legitimate divisional weight.
- The impromptu nature of the booking underscores how quickly UFC matchmaking can move when key decision-makers are in the same room.
- A Lewis victory could strengthen his case for a higher-profile heavyweight assignment; for Hokit, a win over a ranked veteran would be a defining career moment.
