UFC 334: Gane vs. Hokit headlines Madison Square Garden with a heavyweight championship showdown between Ciryl Gane and unbeaten challenger Josh Hokit. Check out our UFC 334 odds series for our Gane-Hokit prediction and pick.
Ciryl Gane (14-2, 1 NC) returns to the Octagon after a brutal second-round TKO win over Alex Pereira in June. Following an accidental eye-poke no contest against Tom Aspinall and a split decision victory over Alexander Volkov, the Frenchman looks sharp as he comes into his fight this weekend against Josh Hokit.
Josh Hokit (10-0) enters his first title opportunity riding a dominant four-fight UFC winning streak. The former All-American wrestler knocked out Derrick Lewis in the second round in June after outstriking Curtis Blaydes for a unanimous decision win in April as he comes into his fight this weekend against Ciryl Gane.
UFC 334 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings
UFC 334 Odds: Ciryl Gane-Josh Hokit Odds
Ciryl Gane: -230
Josh Hokit: +190
Over 3.5 rounds: +130
Under 3.5 rounds: -166
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)Why Ciryl Gane Will Win
Ciryl Gane possesses the best footwork and distance management in the heavyweight division. His three-inch height advantage and massive eight-inch reach edge will allow him to pick Josh Hokit apart from the outside before the challenger can establish his clinch or wrestling entries.
Gane showed phenomenal striking precision when he dismantled Alex Pereira in June, proving he can handle elite threats on the feet. He constantly bounces in and out of range, utilizing oblique kicks, sharp jabs and body kicks to sap the gas tank of heavy-handed pressure fighters.
While Hokit has an All-American wrestling pedigree, he looked noticeably fatigued in the third round of his decision win over Curtis Blaydes. Across a 25-minute championship fight, Gane's superior cardiovascular conditioning and technical volume will become an overwhelming factor in the championship rounds.
Gane has also spent years shoring up his defensive grappling since his past setbacks against Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou. If he forces Hokit to shoot from way outside of pocket range, Gane will stuff the early takedown attempts, drag the unbeaten American into deep waters and stop him late.
Why Josh Hokit Will Win
Josh Hokit brings the exact stylistic blueprint that has historically given Ciryl Gane nightmares inside the Octagon. As a former division-one All-American wrestler and NFL fullback, Hokit possesses the explosive athleticism, raw physicality and relentless chain wrestling required to put Gane on his back early.
Both Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones exposed Gane's defensive grappling vulnerabilities in previous championship bouts, and Hokit will not waste time playing a technical kickboxing match at range. He will bull-rush forward behind heavy overhands to force clinches against the fence and drag the champion to the canvas.
Hokit is far more than just a one-dimensional wrestler, having set a three-round UFC heavyweight record by landing 177 significant strikes against Curtis Blaydes before knocking out Derrick Lewis. His relentless pace and suffocating top control can break opponents mentally and physically within the first two frames.
Article Continues BelowUnbeaten fighters carrying Hokit's level of confidence and momentum are dangerous when stepping up for gold. If Hokit closes the distance early, avoids getting stuck at kicking range and secures a first-round takedown, he can flatten Gane out and finish him with vicious ground-and-pound.
Final Gane-Hokit Prediction & Pick
Ciryl Gane is the pick here because his elite distance management, footwork and five-round championship experience give him a clear edge once this fight moves past the opening ten minutes. While Josh Hokit's wrestling and explosive pressure are real threats early, closing an eight-inch reach gap against a master tactician like Gane is a tall task.
Hokit will undoubtedly come out firing and try to crowd the Frenchman against the cage in the first two frames. However, Gane's lateral movement and front kicks to the midsection will force Hokit to work overtime just to enter the pocket, draining the challenger's gas tank rapidly.
We saw Hokit slow down late in his three-round bout with Curtis Blaydes, and five rounds against a high-volume technician is a completely different test. Once Hokit's takedown entries lose their snap in the third round, Gane will begin teeing off with combinations from both stances.
Expect Gane to weather the early storm, stuff the desperate clinch attempts and systematically break Hokit down with strikes in the third or fourth round for a TKO victory.
Final Ciryl Gane-Josh Hokit Prediction & Pick: Ciryl Gane (-225), UNDER 3.5 rounds (-154)