UFC Freedom 250 weigh-in LIVE: Josh Hokit throws up on stage as fighters tip scales before White House event – UK Times

Mr Trump’s close friend Dana White, the UFC’s president and CEO, has said that TV-production awards should be abolished altogether if this event wins none.

It’s hyperbole, of course, to which White is more than prone, but it’s also curious because of how starkly it stands in contrast to the UFC’s weekly product.

After a chorus of boos at the NBA finale, Trump now has form for disruptive big-game appearances, with similar moments at the Ryder Cup and US Open last year.

But, as I wrote below, the President can now watch his friend Dana White’s event from his own back garden, far from detractors.

So how comes Topuria, when he emerged moments later, was wearing a smirk?

There is an eerie coldness to Topuria at times. In our previous interview, in 2023, he asked me: “Do you know how good I am? I can submit my opponent, I can knock him out. I can do with him whatever I want.”

These were rhetorical questions, but I couldn’t help feeling somewhat interrogated, as if the German-born Spanish-Georgian thought I did not truly appreciate his skills. In that moment, “El Matador” seemed more bull than man.

On Saturday, he spoke to The Independent again – and explained why he’s so “relaxed” about headlining at the White House:

Hokit pretending to be sick today meant it was his second time stealing the show this week – for better or… actually no, just for worse.

At last night’s press conference, Hokit played a nervous character (not for the first time) and chimed in at every opportunity.

After a series of faux-sheepish comments, though, he made a remark on Topuria’s recent divorce, leading UFC president Dana White to end the press conference at once.

Everyone else made weight, which you’d expect ahead of an event of this unprecedented magnitude.

Imagine missing weight for your fight AT THE WHITE HOUSE.

If you’re new to mixed martial arts / the UFC specifically, here’s the weights explained:

On Sunday, we’ll have fights at heavyweight, middleweight, lightweight, featherweight, and bantamweight.

The usual limit for heavyweight is 266lb, at middleweight it’s 186lb, lightweights can go up to 156lb, featherweights 146lb, and bantamweights 136lb.

However, it’s 1lb less in the case of title fights. So, Topuria vs Gaethje has a 155lb limit, and Pereira vs Gane has a 265lb limit.

So, the most interesting weigh-in result saw Alex Pereira tip the scales heavier than Ciryl Gane.

Pereira, a former middleweight and two-time light-heavyweight champion, is making his heavyweight debut on Sunday.

Yet it was the Brazilian, 38, who was heavier than Gane, who is a former interim heavyweight champion (and a mainstay of this division).

France’s Gane, 36, weighed in at 248lb, but Pereira was 3lb heavier.

Does that bode well for Pereira’s trademark KO power? A big question ahead of Sunday’s fights has been whether that power will carry up to this new weight…

Okay, so the ceremonial weigh-in this evening is the fun one, but the one that mattered most was the morning edition.

Here’s how each fighter tipped the scales – thankfully, but predictably, without any missing weight for this seismic fight card:

Ilia Topuria (155lb) vs Justin Gaethje (155lb) – lightweight title

Alex Pereira (251) vs Ciryl Gane (248) – interim heavyweight title

Sean O’Malley (135.5lb) vs Aiemann Zahabi (135lb) – bantamweight

Josh Hokit (231) vs Derrick Lewis (265) – heavyweight

Mauricio Ruffy (155) vs Michael Chandler (156) – lightweight

Bo Nickal (186) vs Kyle Daukaus (186) – middleweight

Diego Lopes (146) vs Steve Garcia (146) – featherweight

Right, let’s get straight to the story of the day: this morning, as the fighters weighed in before a crowd of media personnel, Hokit seemingly pretended to throw up, as he dribbled a sick-coloured liquid from his mouth.

“So what? Maybe I was drinking last night,” Hokit told those in the room. “Who wouldn’t be?

“I’ve got a giant man who wants to knock me out. He has the most knockouts in UFC history,” the American heavyweight added, referencing his opponent Derrick Lewis.

Hokit, 28, also appeared to be on unsteady legs as he walked into the room, took to the scale, and exited. However, this also seemed to be part of his act.

Hokit has made a name for himself in recent months by playing different characters. At Friday’s press conference, he continually referenced “The Incredible Hoke”, while he spoke nervously about all of the fighters at the event.

Tonight, UFC fighters will take part in a ceremonial weigh-in ahead of Sunday’s unprecedented fight card at the White House. Having completed their official weigh-in in front of media on Saturday morning, the athletes will take to the stage again in front of fans, for one final face-off with their opponents.

The American, who has made a name for himself in recent months by playing different characters, dribbled a sick-coloured liquid from his mouth at the morning weigh-in as he expressed his apprehension over fighting Derrick Lewis, the favourite fighter of US President Donald Trump.

Follow live updates from the ceremonial weigh-in, right here.