Claim: Josh Hokit is banned from attending the UFC White House press conference following a heated altercation with Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria at the first Freedom 250 presser.

With only a week remaining until the actual event, a rumor has emerged that the UFC has barred one of its most exciting heavyweight stars, Josh Hokit, from taking part in the official pre-fight press conference for the UFC White House event at the Lincoln Memorial next week. The rumor began after prominent Spanish combat sports reporter Alvaro Colmenro posted that the UFC press conference attendee list didn’t have Hokit’s name on it.

“Josh Hokit’s name has NOT been included on the list of UFC White House press conference attendees at the Lincoln Memorial,” Championship Rounds shared on X, citing Colmenro.

Following this, many connected the dots, suggesting that Josh Hokit’s scuffle with Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria at the previous UFC Freedom 250 press conference in Newark last month may have resulted in a ban from the promotion. The 28-year-old heavyweight, who’s often known for playing a gimmicky, verbose character, threw insults and swear words at Alex Pereira that prompted Ilia Topuria to push back against Hokit’s tirade on stage. 

‘Poatan’, who seemingly didn’t understand what Hokit had said, remained stoic and refused to throw hands during the scuffle. However, the lightweight champion ended up throwing a bottle at Hokit, after which security intervened to separate the two parties. They promptly escorted Hokit out of the presser. 

Given how the heated scene unfolded, it’s natural that many assumed the promotion would keep Hokit away from the upcoming presser given the historic nature of the location. But the claim ultimately proved false.

Verdict: False

As clarified by the UFC, the MMA fighter will join the press conference along with his opponent for the upcoming showdown, Derrick Lewis. According to a follow-up post by Alvaro Colmenro himself, the original attendees list that was sent to media members contained an error. Hence, the omission. As such, Josh Hokit will absolutely join the press conference alongside Alex Pereira, Ilia Topuria, and several other stars at the Lincoln Memorial.

To be fair, Josh Hokit definitely draws the ire of many fans who dislike his character-driven attitude, which often results in unnecessary and chaotic confrontations. Dana White has also mentioned that he is “not a fan” of Hokit’s antics. However, it’s equally true that the California native successfully cut a promo that grabbed plenty of attention. In that sense, the UFC likely wouldn’t want a fan-favorite attraction like Hokit to stay away from the presser, even if the promotion would prefer to avoid any scuffles.

That said, that’s not the only major rumor making the rounds before the UFC heads to the White House. Surprisingly, the claim that Erika Kirk would replace Bruce Buffer as the event’s announcer was also debunked very recently. Yet the rumor mill continues to spin, with many now claiming that several fighters have been pulling out of the event.

Rumor: Fighters have been pulling out of the UFC Freedom 250 event

According to The Irish Star, well-known actor and comedian George Lopez posted on Facebook that fighters have been pulling out of the White House card. Though the comedian didn’t specify which fighters he was referring to, the post managed to create enough concern among MMA fans. Following that, the rumor gained even more traction when reports of a marquee fighter withdrawing from the event started making the rounds.

A social media account named MMACentel posted that Michael Chandler, who is scheduled to face Mauricio Ruffy on the White House card, had reportedly pulled out of the spectacle and been moved into a backup role for UFC 329, headlined by Conor McGregor’s return fight against Max Holloway.

Since Chandler has a prior rivalry with the Irishman, the claim didn’t seem entirely out of place. However, the social media account that furthered the claim is known for regularly posting parody and satirical stories to generate engagement, and fans quickly began to spot that it was fake news and that Chandler is still very much on the card.

With the UFC Freedom 250 card only a week away, many more rumors could continue to swarm the internet. But the expectation is that it won’t affect the event in any real way.