Sean Strickland does not like Josh Hokit’s promotional style, and Hokit answered him directly with a fight callout and a Jake Paul line.
Strickland criticized Hokit during a UFC on Paramount appearance, saying the unbeaten heavyweight’s street-interview clips and WWE-style act feel forced. Hokit responded on X after Strickland told him to stop acting like an influencer and train.
The exchange adds another public dispute to Hokit’s fast UFC rise. Hokit is 9-0 as a pro heavyweight, beat Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327, and is booked to face Derrick Lewis at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14. Strickland, meanwhile, is days away from challenging Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328.
“I respect him for doing it,” Strickland said. “To me, it’s too much. It’s so fake and fabricated. I’ll see a clip and I’ll shut it right away.”
“You’re almost 30 but you’re acting like Jake Paul when he was 13”
Sean Strickland isn’t a fan of the Josh Hokit gimmick
Via @full_send_mma pic.twitter.com/NDcjgd08Cf
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) May 5, 2026
Strickland said he has met and trained with Hokit, so his criticism was aimed at the act rather than Hokit personally.
“I like Josh, I’ve trained with him, I’ve met him personally,” Strickland said. “Actually, he is a nice guy. But going and interviewing people on the street, you’re like an old influencer. You’re mid 30s, and you’re trying to be an influencer. Stop dude. Shut the f**k up. Be yourself. Go train. Or don’t, man. I guess what you’re doing is working. You’re on the White House card.”
Josh Hokit Answers With Jake Paul Line And Clown Joke
Hokit responded on X with a direct callout and the Jake Paul point.
“Let’s fight… I’ll show you the difference between me and Jake Paul…” Hokit wrote.
Let’s fight… I’ll show you the difference between me and Jake Paul… https://t.co/DiZsjmX7AB
— The Incredible Hok (@Josh_HokitUFC) May 5, 2026
Hokit followed with another response, this time mocking Strickland’s complaint about his persona.
“Shawn Strickland, complaining about a persona is like a circus clown complaining about too many balloons,” Hokit wrote. “You’re just mad because my WWE skit has better ratings than your personality.”
Shawn Strickland, complaining about a persona is like a circus clown complaining about too many balloons. You’re just mad because my WWE skit has better ratings than your personality. https://t.co/DiZsjmX7AB
— The Incredible Hok (@Josh_HokitUFC) May 5, 2026
Strickland called Hokit “mid 30s” during the rant, but Hokit is listed as born on November 12, 1997, making him 28. Treat that line as Strickland trash talk, not an accurate age check.
Hokit was an All-American wrestler at Fresno State, played college football as a fullback and tight end, and signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2020 before moving into MMA. He later fought in Bellator, earned a UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2025, and has finished two of his three UFC wins.
Hokit’s biggest UFC result so far came against Blaydes. He won by unanimous decision at UFC 327 and earned both Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses. That win led to his Derrick Lewis booking for UFC Freedom 250, where Mike Winkeljohn has already discussed Hokit’s entertainment-first approach.
