Gable Steveson’s second UFC appearance was an absolute trainwreck, getting knocked out in just 12 seconds at UFC 331. The Olympic gold medalist, who rolled into the promotion with huge hype as the heavyweight division’s future, now sits at a shaky 1-1, and fellow heavyweight Josh Hokit thinks he knows exactly why things went so sideways.
“What Are We Doing, Gang?” Hokit Blames Jones and Lack of Sparring
Hokit, who trains in the same Albuquerque circles as Steveson, didn’t mince words on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” He said he’d heard Steveson is “not practicing properly” and that it’s “due to Jon Jones.” Can you believe it? Hokit straight-up claimed Steveson isn’t even sparring! “Like, what are we doing, gang?” Hokit asked. He believes Steveson thought this whole fighting thing would be easy, mistaking it for wrestling. “This s*** ain’t sweet. It’s a whole different game,” Hokit stated, adding that Steveson “had to learn the hard way.” For someone who’s had that kind of wrestling success, Hokit sees it as tough to “start from the building blocks again.” Adversity’s here, and now we’ll truly see what Steveson is made of, according to Hokit.
Fake Images and Unprepared Answers: More Steveson Troubles
The disaster wasn’t just the lightning-fast knockout. Steveson also took heat for walking out of the cage before the official decision was even read. Hokit called that out as another red flag, especially after an already brutal fight week where Sean Sharaf repeatedly brought up Steveson’s “sexual assault allegations from June 2019.” Hokit sees Steveson trying to mimic Jon Jones’ charisma, which he thinks is natural for Jones, who comes from a pastor’s family. But if Steveson “doesn’t have that same charisma,” then “who are you lying to now?” Hokit slammed Steveson for smiling and talking after the loss, calling it a “fake image.” He said if he lost, he’d be like, “F*** everybody.” Hokit also questioned why Steveson wasn’t prepared to answer questions about his “college days case.”
Josh Hokit, 28, has made his own fast track to the top of the heavyweight division, racking up four wins in less than a year since joining the UFC through Contender Series in 2025. He’s made enemies easily with his trash talk, and now he’s got his shot. On November 14, at UFC 334, Hokit gets to face current titleholder Ciryl Gane in Madison Square Garden, New York, aiming to become a UFC champion. For Steveson, the immediate future is less clear. Hokit’s words paint a picture of an Olympian who needs to figure things out fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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