Josh Hokit has continued his public defense of referee Herb Dean while also attempting to get under Alex Pereira's skin amid the ongoing officiating controversy. Hokit's comments add another voice to the debate surrounding Dean's work.
Josh Hokit, the unbeaten prospect known as "The Incredible Hok," has inserted himself into the ongoing officiating debate by publicly backing referee Herb Dean while simultaneously directing pointed remarks toward UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.
Hokit, 28, carries a perfect 5-0 professional record and has been vocal in defending Dean amid criticism surrounding the veteran referee's recent work. His comments represent another voice in a growing public conversation about officiating standards in mixed martial arts.
On the other side of Hokit's remarks stands one of the sport's most decorated champions. Pereira, nicknamed "Poatan," is the 38-year-old Brazilian titleholder at light heavyweight who trains out of Teixeira MMA and Fitness. Standing six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach, he holds a 13-4 record and has established himself as one of the division's most dangerous strikers, landing 5.16 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 62 percent accuracy rate.
Why it matters
- The officiating controversy has drawn commentary from fighters well outside the immediate dispute, broadening the debate across the roster.
- Hokit's targeting of Pereira, an established champion, raises his own public profile regardless of any competitive connection between the two.
- The exchange reflects ongoing tension within the MMA community over referee accountability and how fighters engage with those discussions publicly.
Pereira's standing as champion means any fighter who draws his attention, even through social media sparring, earns a degree of visibility. Whether Hokit's comments register with the champion or fuel further back-and-forth remains to be seen based on publicly available information.
