Curtis Blaydes, who has faced both Josh Hokit and Derrick Lewis, offered a nuanced prediction for their UFC White House matchup. Blaydes said he would favour Lewis if the version he personally fought shows up, but would pick Hokit if the fighter who defeated Waldo is the one that turns up on fight night.
Curtis Blaydes has offered a split prediction for the UFC White House heavyweight bout between Derrick Lewis and Josh Hokit, framing his pick around which version of each fighter steps into the cage on fight night.
Blaydes, who has faced both men firsthand, said he would lean toward Lewis if the fighter he personally shared the octagon with shows up. But if Hokit performs the way he did when he defeated Waldo, Blaydes flips his pick to the unbeaten prospect.
The fourth-ranked heavyweight in the division, Blaydes carries a 19-6-0 record and brings considerable credibility to his assessment. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Elevation Fight Team, is one of the more complete heavyweights on the roster, landing 3.56 significant strikes per minute at fifty percent accuracy while averaging an elite 5.38 takedown attempts per 15 minutes.
Lewis enters UFC White House as the number-eight ranked heavyweight at 29-14-0. The 41-year-old nicknamed The Black Beast stands six-foot-three with a 79-inch reach and has built his reputation largely on his knockout power, landing 2.46 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy throughout his career with Main Street Boxing and Muay Thai.
Hokit brings a perfect 5-0-0 record into the fight at just 28 years old. Known as The Incredible Hok, the unbeaten heavyweight is still early in his UFC career, and verified statistical data on his output remains limited.
Why it matters
- Lewis is ranked eighth at heavyweight, meaning a loss would further complicate his divisional standing at age 41
- A win for Hokit over a ranked veteran would dramatically accelerate his heavyweight trajectory
- Blaydes has unique insight having trained or competed against both men, lending weight to his conditional read of the matchup
Sunday, June 14, 2026
