After Josh Hokit told viewers “Michelle Obama is a man!” during UFC Freedom 250 at the White House on June 14, Daniel Cormier called the comment “disgusting,” “nasty” and “gross,” saying it brought no benefit and needed to stop.
For UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, Josh Hokit started building on a statement win. Instead, his interview quickly became a fresh flashpoint.
On June 14, after winning his heavyweight bout at the event, Hokit told viewers, “Michelle Obama is a man!. Am I right. America?” The remark landed inside the Octagon and has continued to draw reactions almost a decade after Michelle Obama left the White House. as hate-filled comments toward the former first lady persist.
Daniel Cormier. a UFC Hall of Fame inductee and part of the promotion’s on-air commentary team. was blunt when he addressed the moment. On his podcast this week, he said of Hokit’s line, “That was nasty. It was gross. It did not need to happen.” Cormier added. “There was no gain in Josh Hokit doing that and it was disgusting. So get it together, dude.”.
The criticism didn’t come only from a studio microphone. Cormier also described how the comment contrasted with what he has seen from Hokit in other settings. Hokit has angered other UFC fighters and has been involved in physical confrontations while projecting different personas. but Cormier said he experienced a different side firsthand.
“Josh has been in my gym,” Cormier said. “Josh was in a fighter meeting last weekend (for the Paramount+ broadcast) and he wasn’t doing the whole character thing. He’s just a normal dude.” Cormier praised Hokit as “a good fighter” and “a great athlete. ” but said the Octagon remarks “made no sense.” He called them unnecessary. saying. “It was unnecessary. It was unnecessary.”.
Cormier also pointed to what he thought could have been achieved instead of the Michelle Obama jab. He said Hokit appeared to be moving toward a gimmicky moment at the start of the post-fight interview—before shifting into something more straightforward. “He started his post-fight interview and he was going to do one of those gimmicky things that honestly I think it’s lame…. ” Cormier said. “And then he stopped himself and he did like an interview and he was good.”.
Then came the turn Cormier said he couldn’t accept. “He could have left and he could have made more fans than he walked in there with because they would have gotten to see Josh Hokit. ” Cormier said. “But instead he goes and says the thing about Michelle Obama… I absolutely hated that. He needs to do better. He needs to do better because it looks like he’s going to have a good career in the UFC and he’s going to have a ton of time to work his way towards the championship or at least fight for it.”.
Cormier also underscored the stakes by recalling another recent comment from Hokit. In January. during a post-fight interview. Hokit targeted basketball star Brittney Griner. saying. “And P.S. Brittney Griner is a man.” In contrast. Cormier praised Michelle Obama as “as classy a person as you will ever meet. ” saying she has “only represented herself. her family and this country with grace and class.”.
The through-line in Cormier’s response is stark: Hokit can be competitive. even likable in the room—but Cormier says the kind of provocation Hokit chooses in the Octagon isn’t building anything. It’s costing him. and it’s pulling the spotlight away from the career momentum he’s earned after improving to 10-0 following his knockout of Derrick Lewis.
UFC Freedom 250 Josh Hokit Daniel Cormier Michelle Obama Brittney Griner Derrick Lewis Paramount+ heavyweight bout podcast commentary