UFC commentator Daniel Cormier hyped up a future heavyweight bout between top prospects Josh Hokit and Gable Steveson.
Cormier is the former UFC heavyweight and UFC light heavyweight champion and a Hall of Famer, so when he talks, people listen. When speaking to reporters in Las Vegas ahead of the upcoming new season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” which he will coach alongside fellow UFC commentator Michael Bisping, Cormier got excited when speaking about the possibility of Hokit taking on Steveson in a heavyweight duel between the division’s top two young prospects.
“We’ve been dying for the American wrestler in the heavier weight classes since a lot of us retired recently. Now we have them. Hokit’s an All-American. Steveson’s a champion. What a storyline that would be. Could you imagine Gable Steveson, the All-American world champion, then Josh Hokit, the bad guy, fighting for a UFC title? That would be (expletive) cinema. It would be cinema,” Cormier told reporters (via MMAjunkie.com).
Hokit, a former All-American collegiate wrestler and NFL player for the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals, joined the UFC late last year following a big win on Dana White’s Contender Series. So far, he is 3-0 in the Octagon and is coming off an incredible “Fight of the Night” win over Curtis Blaydes that announced him to the world as one of the best heavyweights in the UFC.
As for Steveson, he is 3-0 in MMA and recently signed to the UFC. He is expected to make his UFC debut this summer, though his opponent has yet to be named. Still, the former Olympic gold medalist and NFL player for the Buffalo Bills is one of the most exciting prospects we have ever seen in mixed martial arts, and his addition to the UFC heavyweight division is very intriguing.
Daniel Cormier Praises Josh Hokit and Gable Stevson
Cormier had nothing but positive things to say when he spoke about Hokit and Steveson to reporters. In Cormier’s mind, these two are on a collision path for a future fight.
“Gable Steveson’s tremendous. He’s an Olympic gold medalist. NCAA champion. His ceiling is world champion. His talent, his ability, his mindset – he can do it all. I’m interested to see how quickly he rises. I think when you have a skillset like that it happens fast. That’s what we’re seeing right now with Josh Hokit. Josh Hokit fought two fights and then he beat the No. 4 guy in the world in Curtis Blaydes. Now he’s one of the top five heavyweights in the world. I imagine Gable Steveson’s path will be something similar to that. Fight a couple guys, get somebody better,” Cormier said.
Hokit Puts UFC Heavyweight Division on Notice
Hokit’s win over Blaydes at UFC 327 put the heavyweight division on notice. After just three fights in the Octagon, Hokit is already ranked in the top five, which is an incredible rise for a fighter who wasn’t even on the roster one year ago. Given his athletic background and ability to sell a fight with his mouth, Hokit is one of the most exciting heavyweight fighters that we have ever seen in the sport. He already has his next fight booked, taking on Derrick Lewis at UFC Freedom 250.
Currently, the UFC heavyweight title belongs to champion Tom Aspinall, but he is out with an eye injury. An interim title fight between Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira takes place at UFC Freedom 250, with the winner fighting Aspinall to unify the belts. However, if Aspinall is out for an extended period of time, it’s possible that Hokit could sneak in and fight the winner of Gane vs. Pereira, should he pick up an impressive victory over Lewis the same night.
Daniel Cormier Hypes up Future Josh Hokit vs. Gable Steveson UFC Fight