Josh Hokit turned the UFC Freedom 250 press conference into something nobody in attendance was expecting on Friday, getting ejected from the event after a confrontation with lightweight champion Ilia Topuria that required security intervention and ended with Hokit being escorted out of the building.
Hokit, a late addition to the card facing Derrick Lewis in a preliminary heavyweight bout, entered the press conference in character and began directing rhymes and insults at Lewis in his usual style. Lewis showed no reaction. Hokit then turned his attention to Alex Pereira, who was similarly unbothered. That is when Topuria, seated next to Pereira, decided he had heard enough.
As Hokit continued targeting Pereira with insults, Topuria spoke out against the behavior. That prompted Hokit to redirect at the lightweight champion directly.
“Fk you, you fing little bh! I’m the real BMF belt! Little short midget! Come up to a real weight class! I’ll give it to anybody! I don’t give a fk!”
Topuria rose from his seat as though prepared to get physical with the heavyweight. Security stepped in before the two could reach each other, and the situation appeared to settle momentarily. It reignited when Topuria threw an object toward Hokit, prompting security to escort Hokit out of the event entirely.
After Hokit left, Pereira and Topuria shook hands, and Dana White brought the press conference to a close. Derrick Lewis got one final word in before the stage cleared for faceoffs.
“I got him.”
Because of his ejection, Hokit and Lewis did not face off at the event. You can watch the confrontation below:
UFC Freedom 250 takes place June 14 at the White House South Lawn in Washington D.C., streaming on Paramount+.