Heavyweight contender Josh Hokit has publicly urged the UFC to release Tom Aspinall, accusing the heavyweight champion of 'playing games.' Hokit is simultaneously pushing for a title fight in Paris, positioning himself as a ready and willing challenger.
Josh Hokit is turning up the pressure on the UFC's heavyweight division, publicly calling for the promotion to cut champion Tom Aspinall and volunteering himself as a title challenger at a prospective Paris event.
Hokit, who fights under the nickname "The Incredible Hok" and carries a perfect 5-0-0 professional record, issued the pointed challenge on June 30, accusing Aspinall of "playing games" with his heavyweight title obligations. The 28-year-old contender framed himself as an immediately available and willing opponent, specifically targeting a Paris card as the stage for a championship fight.
Tom Aspinall, 33, enters this controversy as the reigning UFC heavyweight champion and the sixth-ranked pound-for-pound fighter on the roster. The six-foot-five Englishman out of Team Kaobon has built a 15-3-0 record and is widely regarded as one of the most technically complete heavyweights in the sport's history. His numbers reflect that dominance — he lands 7.63 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 67 percent, while also averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes. That combination of striking output and grappling threat makes him a uniquely dangerous champion.
Why it matters
- Hokit's callout puts public pressure on the UFC to clarify Aspinall's next title defense and timeline.
- A Paris card would represent a significant international platform for the heavyweight title, continuing the UFC's expansion into major European markets.
- The style matchup is unknown given Hokit's limited statistical profile at this stage of his career, but his unbeaten record signals genuine ambition within the division.
Hokit's demand for a release and a simultaneous pitch to replace Aspinall as title challenger reflects frustration among heavyweights waiting for clarity at the top of the division. Whether the UFC responds to the callout remains to be seen.
