{"id":2804,"date":"2026-06-23T22:13:23","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T22:13:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=2804"},"modified":"2026-06-23T22:13:23","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T22:13:23","slug":"ufc-fighter-josh-hokit-defends-calling-michelle-obama-a-man-and-claims-it-shows-how-great-america-is-with-freedom-of-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=2804","title":{"rendered":"UFC Fighter Josh Hokit Defends Calling Michelle Obama a \u2018Man\u2019 and Claims It Shows \u2018How Great\u2019 America Is \u2018With Freedom of Speech\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\tUFC fighter Josh Hokit took the opportunity Tuesday to explain why he declared \u201cMichelle Obama is a man\u201d after winning a fight at the White House\u2019s UFC Freedom 250 event.<\/p>\n

Read more Fox One Offering Free Trial, Prime Day Discount for World Cup Streaming Coverage Online<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tDuring an appearance on \u201cThe Ariel Helwani Show,\u201d Hokit said, \u201cI thought I was giving her a compliment.\u201d When Helwani said that wasn\u2019t how people had taken his comment, Hokit continued, \u201cMichelle Obama being a man \u2026 it\u2019s like, she knows how to deal with adversity. She knows how to work hard like a man when the times get tough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHokit made the disparaging remarks on June 14 in an interview immediately following his victory over Derrick Lewis in a heavyweight fight. Talking to commentator Joe Rogan on the Paramount+ livestream, the fighter unexpectedly\u00a0shouted into the microphone, \u201cAnd lastly,\u00a0Michelle Obama\u00a0is a man. Am I right, America?,\u201d causing the live audience in Washington, D.C., to erupt in shouts. The incendiary comments were roundly criticized on social media but went unaddressed throughout the remainder of the broadcast. Appearing flustered, Rogan backed away from the fighter and said, \u201cLadies and gentlemen, Josh Hokit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHokit later told Helwani that his comment showcased America\u2019s freedom of speech. \u201cI thought it was a perfect opportunity to show the world how great this country is with freedom of speech. You go somewhere [else in the world] and you say something like that and you die. And I\u2019m not suicidal by the way. I\u2019m in good spirits. I\u2019m a little under the weather right now but other that than, I\u2019m good. And so in other parts of the world, you say something like that and you\u2019re not here to speak to Ariel Helwani, you know. So yeah, I don\u2019t know there\u2019s a ways \u2014 there\u2019s a few answers to that. There\u2019s a certain side that pokes at another side and there\u2019s no outrage there and so I thought it was a perfect time to take a jab.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHokit wasn\u2019t about to apologize for the comment, telling Helwani, \u201cThat\u2019s one thing about my career. \u2026 You\u2019ll never hear me backtrack from what I say.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Disney Failed to Buy James Bond Franchise, Walked Away From Owning Twitter Hours Before the Deal Closed and Held Apple Merger Talks<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tUFC CEO Dana White, who has famously stood by his athletes when they draw backlash for off-color speech, condemned Hokit in a statement to Time magazine. \u201cI understand that the Obamas are public figures but I\u2019m completely against saying nasty and false things about people\u2019s families,\u201d White wrote. \u201cEveryone knows my position on free speech but I hate that kind of nonsense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe White House had previously dodged questions about the controversial post-game interview. Asked about Hokit\u2019s Michelle Obama comment, Trump spokesman Steven Cheung\u00a0told the press, \u201cHe had a great win last night. He showed toughness and the ability to pressure his opponent both on his feet and on the ground,\u201d according to\u00a0CNN\u2019s Jake Tapper.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe UFC Freedom 250 event streamed on Paramount+ on June 15 and saw fighters from the U.S. and abroad facing off in an octagon set up on the White House lawn. Trump, First Lady Melania and White watched the matches cageside, and comedians Shane Gillis, Nate Bargatze and Tony Hinchcliffe were also in attendance. The broadcast, which just so happened to take place on Trump\u2019s 80th birthday, was bloody but largely apolitical, with UFC fighters marching from the White House to the octagon alongside U.S. veterans and first responders. <\/p>\n

Read more Clive Davis Never Played a Note, but He Forever Changed the Music Industry: An Appreciation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

UFC fighter Josh Hokit took the opportunity Tuesday to explain his comment, “Michelle Obama is a man” at the White House’s UFC Freedom 250 event.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2153,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[1873],"class_list":["post-2804","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tv","tag-josh-hokit-2"],"yoast_head":"\nUFC Fighter Josh Hokit Defends Calling Michelle Obama a \u2018Man\u2019 and Claims It Shows \u2018How Great\u2019 America Is \u2018With Freedom of Speech\u2019 - Relocation Observer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=2804\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UFC Fighter Josh Hokit Defends Calling Michelle Obama a \u2018Man\u2019 and Claims It Shows \u2018How Great\u2019 America Is \u2018With Freedom of Speech\u2019 - 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