Anthony Smith has offered a detailed look at Josh Hokit’s style and long-term prospects ahead of Hokit’s heavyweight showdown with Derrick Lewis at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14 at the White House in Washington, D.C.
Hokit enters the bout with a 9-0 MMA record and a 3-0 mark in the UFC, including a recent win over Curtis Blaydes in April. He’s ranked No. 14 and is 13 years younger than No. 12-ranked Lewis, who brings a 29-13 MMA record and a 20-11 UFC slate into the matchup.
Smith, a former UFC title challenger and longtime analyst, praised Hokit but pointed to concerns about the damage he absorbs. “He makes me nervous,” Smith said. “I would like to see him wrestle a little bit more and keep himself out of those firefights to add longevity to his career.”
“He gets hit a lot,” Smith added. “Jimmy Smith told me, 'Guys that take a lot of damage on their way to the title, you're going to struggle to see them in title fights or winning titles.'”
Still, Smith sees significant upside. “It would be nice to get in and out with a couple dominant wins over top guys without taking that kind of damage. He's got a high ceiling in my opinion.”
“I like Hokit. I like everything about him. I'm not necessarily a huge fan of his gimmick, but if he fights the way he fought Blaydes, say whatever the f*ck you want. You can do whatever you want if you fight that way. If you fight like that, though, you ain't got to say sh*t. So I'm not a huge fan of the gimmick, but I'm not going to knock anyone's hustle, either.”
Lewis, Hokit’s opponent at UFC Freedom 250, holds the record for the most knockout wins in UFC history.
