Michael Bisping did not hold back when he spoke about Josh Hokit and his antics. Bisping gave an honest assessment of Hokit’s character and explained why he is not a fan of his persona.
Hokit has quickly become a star in the UFC, particularly following his thrilling victory over Curtis Blaydes. However, he has drawn criticism from many within the MMA community because of his brash persona and remarks at press conferences. That was on display during the first UFC Freedom 250 press conference, where he took aim at Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria.
Hokit is set to face Derrick Lewis at UFC Freedom 250, which takes place at the White House on Jun. 14.
Michael Bisping Urges Josh Hokit to Change
Michael Bisping made it clear that he is not a fan of Hokit’s persona, arguing that it comes across as a pro wrestling character. Bisping urged the heavyweight contender to be more authentic if he wants to achieve greater success.
“[Hokit’s] making a lot of noise at the moment, God bless him. He’s got a fight at the White House, fighting Derrick Lewis, who is a very good fighter. But I just don’t like the whole act thing,” Bisping told Casino.org. “Be yourself, talk [expletive] as yourself. Don’t talk [expletive] as if you’re doing persona, like being this Mexican guy or pretending to be a WWE fighter, and how they go into character. Talk [expletive] as [Hokit]. I love that.”
Bisping stressed that while Hokit is attracting attention, he should consider changing his approach.
“You want to deliver a message who you are as a person, what you stand for. Yeah, he’s making noise, he’s getting thrown out of press conferences and whatnot, he’s getting big opportunities, but the whole persona thing, that’s a little bit cringe,” he said.”
Bisping Names a Fighter Hokit Can Take Inspiration From
Bisping also reflected on his own experience competing against opponents who were known for trash talk. The former middleweight champion was never afraid to exchange in verbal exchanges with his opponents.
Bisping named Jorge Rivera and Chael Sonnen as two instances from his career that he dealt with trash talkers. He noted that both resulted in different experiences and suggested Hokit should take inspiration from Sonnen.
When Bisping faced Rivera, the American notably posted videos mocking the Englishman. In contrast, Sonnen took a different approach, as their bout came together fairly quickly.
“I fought Jorge Rivera and he made a bunch of videos, and they worked, I was fuming. There was a lot of work that went into them, but I made him pay,” Bisping told Casino.org. “But with Chael Sonnen, I was disappointed. If we had like a full two months, we would have had some fun with that.”
Bisping recalled how Sonnen completely changed the dynamic during the ceremonial weigh-ins.
“I always love to get in their face and like to talk a bit of [expletive] and deliver the final message, so I go up to him and he says, ‘Oh, what cologne are you wearing? That smells lovely.’ It just broke me down completely. I’m like, ‘He’s being really nice asking me about what aftershave I’m wearing,’ so that’s the way to go.”
Michael Bisping Shares Honest Take on Josh Hokit’s Character