Josh Hokit is not impressed with Gable Steveson Current UFC title contender Josh Hokit was hearing rumblings of Gable Steveson not sparring on his lead up to fighting Sean Sharif and believes Jon Jones is behind it Steveson was on his way to becoming one of the biggest prospects in the UFC when a major upset took place, is Hokit in the wrong or right here?
Josh Hokit has taken aim at Gable Steveson, claiming the heavyweight prospect skipped sparring ahead of his fight with Sean Sharif and suggesting Jon Jones is the reason why.
Hokit, described as a current UFC title contender, said he had been hearing talk that Steveson was not sparring in the lead-up to the Sharif bout. He believes Jones is behind that decision. The claim is Hokit's own account of what he heard, and neither Steveson nor Jones has been reported as responding.
The comments land against a difficult backdrop for Steveson. He was on track to become one of the UFC's biggest prospects before a major upset derailed that momentum, and Hokit's remarks put his preparation under fresh scrutiny.
Steveson's profile
Steveson is 26 and stands at 5 feet 11, with a 74-inch reach. The American holds a 4-1-0 record and fights out of an orthodox stance. His striking numbers are eye-catching on paper: 15.46 significant strikes landed per minute at 71 percent accuracy. His takedown and submission averages are both listed at zero.
Jones in the frame
Jones, 39, is 28-1-0 and fights orthodox. He stands six-foot-four with an 84-inch reach. Across his career he has landed 4.38 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, and averages 1.89 takedowns and 0.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes. Hokit's allegation places him at the center of the story, though nothing here indicates Jones has addressed it.
Why it matters
- Hokit's claim is unverified talk about Steveson's camp, not a confirmed fact about his preparation.
- Steveson is still rebuilding the momentum he had before his setback, so questions about training will follow him.
- Linking Jones to a rival's fight preparation adds another layer to a heavyweight division already driven by personalities.
Whether Hokit is right or out of line depends on details neither side has publicly laid out.
