Josh Hokit Turns Alex Pereira Mockery Into The Loudest Story Before UFC Freedom 250

Josh Hokit has Derrick fight/">Lewis in front of him at UFC Freedom 250, but his latest pre-fight interview kept pointing at Alex Pereira.

The unbeaten heavyweight spoke with TMZ Sports before the June 14 White House card and repeatedly answered with “Chama,” Pereira’s catchphrase, while using a faux translator. TMZ described the bit as a jab at Pereira, the Brazilian former two-division UFC champion who often uses translators in English-language interviews.

Hokit is not fighting Pereira this weekend. ESPN lists Hokit against Derrick Lewis on the UFC Freedom 250 main card, while Pereira is scheduled to face Ciryl Gane in a heavyweight bout on the same event.

The interview added to a fight-week thread that had already started at a UFC White House press conference, where Hokit’s comments about Pereira drew a reaction from Ilia Topuria.

Hokit Kept Turning the Interview Back to Pereira

TMZ reported that Hokit used “Chama” through much of the short interview instead of giving normal answers. The outlet also noted that he used a faux translator while talking about Pereira, making the clip less about his Lewis fight and more about continuing the Pereira mockery.

The tension did not start with TMZ. MMA Fighting reported that Hokit insulted Pereira during a May press conference for the White House card, which led Topuria to step in and defend Pereira. The confrontation escalated, Topuria threw a cup, and Hokit was removed by security.

Hokit later told MMA Fighting that he was surprised Topuria inserted himself into the exchange. Pereira also reacted to the press-conference scene through a translator, saying he had not seen that kind of trash talk before.

Lewis Is Still the Fight Hokit Has to Win

Hokit enters the Lewis bout unbeaten, and ESPN’s UFC Freedom 250 page lists him at 9-0. TMZ reported that he is 28 and recently beat Curtis Blaydes in a close fight.

Lewis gives him a different kind of test. ESPN lists Lewis at 29-13, and MMA Fighting reported that Lewis said he was not bothered by Hokit’s press-conference behavior. Lewis said fighters sometimes talk that way when they are looking for motivation before a fight.

Lewis also told MMA Fighting he is healthy again after blaming a January TKO loss to Waldo Cortes-Acosta on a back injury. For Hokit, the Pereira talk only matters if he gets through Lewis first.

Pereira Has Ciryl Gane on the Same Card

UFC lists Freedom 250 for June 14 at the White House in Washington, D.C., with Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje as the main event and Pereira vs. Gane also featured on the card. ESPN’s event page also lists Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi, Hokit vs. Lewis, Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus, and Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia.

TalkSport reported that Pereira would have faced Tom Aspinall if Aspinall had been cleared from an eye injury. Instead, Pereira is fighting Gane, with Aspinall expected to face the winner when he returns.

Hokit has talked about wanting Pereira next, but both men have separate fights first. Hokit has Lewis, Pereira has Gane, and the Pereira-Hokit talk only turns into a real matchup conversation if the results make it possible.