UFC 328 delivered more than just fights this weekend—it brought the drama. Heavyweight contender Josh Hokit found himself at the center of yet another heated altercation, this time with top light heavyweight Paulo Costa, as tensions boiled over at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Just a day after being ejected from the UFC White House press conference following a confrontation with Ilia Topuria, Hokit was back in the spotlight. Footage circulating on social media shows Costa approaching Hokit, getting nose-to-nose, and pointing a finger in his face. Hokit fired back with a chilling line: "There is only one bad guy."
The situation escalated quickly when Hokit reached for the drink in Costa's hand. Security rushed in to separate the two, but not before Hokit shouted, "There is only one bad guy. Get out of here," as Costa was pulled away. Costa fought to break free and get back at Hokit, but several staff members held him back. The rowdy crowd ate up every second of the chaos.
This isn't the first time Hokit has made waves. His win over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327 last month was a Fight of the Year candidate, earning him a surge of fan support. The UFC moved quickly, booking him for the historic White House card on June 14 against Derrick Lewis—the fighter with the most knockouts in UFC history. It's a massive opportunity for Hokit, and a win could fuel calls for a title shot against Tom Aspinall.
However, with the winner of Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane already in line for that title shot, Hokit may need to be patient. In the meantime, a future clash with Paulo Costa could be on the horizon once he gets through Lewis. For now, Hokit's fight week has been anything but quiet—and fans are loving every minute of it.
