Josh Hokit Calls for Pereira BMF Fight

Josh Hokit has publicly outlined two very different fights he wants next: Ciryl Gane for the title, or Alex Pereira in a BMF-style matchup. His mention of Pereira came after Glover Teixeira, Pereira’s longtime mentor and coach, argued that Hokit was the opponent who made the most sense for Pereira’s next heavyweight assignment. The discussion is built on public comments rather than a UFC booking. Teixeira sees Hokit as a fighter Pereira should beat while working his way back toward the top, while Hokit has placed the possible Pereira meeting in an entertainment-driven category of his own.

The key point in Hokit’s response is not that a bout has been scheduled. He did not announce an agreement, a date, or any UFC decision. Instead, his post defined the kind of matchup he is seeking and the approach he says he will bring regardless of opponent. Hokit took aim at fighters he described as holding opponents down without doing damage, criticizing what he called “lay & pray” fighting. He then said fans would receive “pure violence with a show” from him. That framing turns the Pereira possibility into more than a simple heavyweight callout: Hokit presented it as a BMF attraction and as an answer to the style of fighting he does not want associated with major labels. Teixeira’s remarks and Hokit’s post establish a public exchange, but neither one confirms the next opponent for either man.

Hokit puts Pereira in the BMF lane

Hokit’s message split his preferred options into two clear routes. Gane was the name he connected with a title opportunity. Pereira was the name he connected with the BMF. The distinction is significant because Hokit did not describe a potential fight with Pereira as a title contest. His wording instead made it a proposed showcase centered on aggressive action, matching his criticism of fighters who, in his view, rely on control without damage. The immediate backdrop is UFC Freedom 250. Hokit earned a stoppage win over Derrick Lewis earlier on that card. Later in the co-main event, Pereira made his heavyweight debut against Gane. Their opening round was back and forth, but Gane won by second-round TKO. The loss was described as controversial. Pereira initially hinted at retirement because of his opposition to referee Herb Dean, yet he aims to remain at heavyweight for another title chase. That sequence explains why Teixeira’s proposed opponent drew attention. Discussing Pereira’s plans, Teixeira said Pereira would stay at heavyweight and expressed confidence that he would get the belt. He then called for Pereira to face Hokit, pointing to Hokit’s talk and saying Pereira should knock him out before getting back to the top. Teixeira’s position was a recommendation for Pereira’s path, not confirmation that the UFC had chosen Hokit. Hokit answered that recommendation by supplying his own hierarchy of desired fights. He identified Gane as the title option and Pereira as the BMF option. As a result, the two sides are discussing the same possible matchup from different angles. Teixeira cast Hokit as a test for Pereira’s return toward the top of the heavyweight division. Hokit cast Pereira as the alternative to a title fight with Gane and as a chance to deliver the kind of action he promised in his post.

The public comments also make it important not to overstate the situation. Pereira’s loss to Gane, Hokit’s stoppage of Lewis, Teixeira’s interview, and Hokit’s response all provide context for why the matchup is being discussed. They do not establish a signed fight. No official UFC announcement, event date, or booking is contained in the available material. For readers, Hokit’s own wording provides the clearest guide to what he is requesting. His first preference named Gane “for the title.” His second named Pereira “for the BMF.” He paired those choices with a broader complaint about fighters being called BMF or pound-for-pound while, as he sees it, merely holding opponents down. His promise of “pure violence with a show” explains why he treats the Pereira scenario differently from the Gane title request. It is a stated promotional and stylistic pitch, not a declaration that Pereira will be his next opponent. The exchange also has a straightforward timeline. Hokit’s stoppage win over Lewis happened earlier at UFC Freedom 250. Pereira then lost to Gane in the card’s co-main event after the back-and-forth first round. Teixeira later discussed Pereira staying at heavyweight and named Hokit, and Hokit responded publicly with his Gane-or-Pereira preference. Keeping that order in view separates the established events from the fights being discussed.

What the exchange does and does not show

Teixeira and Hokit agree on one limited point: Pereira versus Hokit is a matchup worth talking about. Their reasons are not identical. Teixeira presented Hokit as someone Pereira should defeat on the way back toward the top. Hokit welcomed the Pereira possibility as a BMF fight while reserving his title request for Gane. Nothing in their statements selects a next opponent. The available material contains no official confirmation that Pereira will fight Hokit, that Hokit will fight Gane, or that either proposed contest has been booked. The responsible reading is that Teixeira made a case for one Pereira assignment and Hokit replied by naming the two contests he would like. Hokit’s post carries an additional reader-facing point beyond the matchup names. He contrasted his own intended product with the control-heavy approach he criticized. Whether the opponent is Gane, Pereira, or someone else, Hokit said fans can expect “pure violence with a show.” That is the message at the center of his response, and it is why the Pereira idea was framed as BMF rather than as another routine heavyweight assignment.

• Ciryl Gane: Hokit named Gane as the opponent he wants for the title.
• Alex Pereira: Hokit named Pereira as the BMF alternative to a Gane title fight.

Josh Hokit has answered Glover Teixeira’s call for an Alex Pereira fight without treating it as settled business. He publicly named Gane as his title choice and Pereira as his BMF choice, while emphasizing the aggressive, fan-focused style he says he intends to offer. Teixeira, meanwhile, views Hokit as a hurdle Pereira should clear as Pereira continues his heavyweight title pursuit. Until the UFC announces a matchup, the story remains a pointed exchange of preferences and proposals rather than a confirmed fight.

Sources: BJPenn