Ahead of UFC 326, Drew Dober vs. Michael Johnson was supposed to be one of those fun veteran matchups. Two fighters with long histories, a lot of knockouts, and nothing left to prove but who can hit harder. Instead, the conversation shifted once Dober spoke up about the memes that have followed him for years.

However, he forgot the fact that once the internet gets involved, it rarely stays respectful. And, like it often does happen in the MMA world, it ends up with some serious trash talk as well.

Josh Hokit fires back after Drew Dober addresses the meme controversy

The situation picked up after Drew Dober revealed that racially driven memes about him continue to bother him, particularly because they affect more than just him. According to a post on X, the UFC fighter said his nieces have been asked in school why their uncle is racist, which evidently struck a nerve.

The situation only worsened after Michael Johnson joked online while talking about their fight.

He shared on his social media, “Pretty sure his goal is to not beat up all the Black people.”

Dober didn’t escalate things. If anything, he tried to be respectful, explaining that the jokes had followed him since an old Instagram Live video from years ago, which fans edited and shared online. The moment went viral at the time, and even though the context was debated, the memes never really stopped.

That’s when heavyweight prospect Josh Hokit stepped in—and he didn’t hold back. Reacting to the situation, the former NFL player wrote a blunt response that instantly drew fan attention online.

“Holy s—… Fighters are such p——,” he retweeted.

This is one bold statement, considering Hokit is still new to the UFC but already known for speaking like a pro-wrestling heel in interviews.

Whether he meant it as trash talk or just frustration with fighters going public about personal stuff, the comment added another layer to a fight that didn’t really need one. Drew Dober and Michael Johnson already have enough history in the division to sell this clash. In fact, the 37-year-old has laid bare his plans to extend his knockout record at UFC 326, but he wishes to do it respectfully.

Dober plans to get his 11th knockout win

While the internet drama draws attention, Drew Dober seems to be focused on something much simpler: knocking people out. The longtime lightweight veteran is entering UFC 326 with the opportunity to extend his own record, and he knows exactly what he wants the result to look like.

During fight week, the 37-year-old stated that his battle with Michael Johnson had been long overdue. After so many years in the division, he believes this is the time to finally meet.

“It was inevitable,” he explained at Wednesday’s media day. “We were going to fight each other. We talked about it years ago and why it hasn’t happened.

The stars lined up. His fight fell through, and now he became available.”

Drew Dober already holds the UFC lightweight record for the most knockout victories with ten, and he isn’t hesitant about wanting more.

“I think I have six more in me,” Dober claimed. “I just saw the grid of how all that plays out. Matt Brown has what, 13? It’s fun to think about.

The fact that I was a part of that conversation has just dumbfounded me, and I cherish it. I’m not aiming for any long goals, but I’m planning on knocking out MJ and continuing it.”

The confidence is there, but the tone differs from the internet noise—less personal and more competitive. So, it would be interesting to see if he manages to get his 11th knockout win as he wants at UFC 326.