Credit: Esther Lin/Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Ciryl Gane’s longtime coach sees striking similarities between UFC heavyweight contender Josh Hokit and all-time great Cain Velasquez.
UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane will face rising star Josh Hokit in the UFC 334 main event next month at Madison Square Garden. After Tom Aspinall vacated the title earlier this month as he continues to recover from his eye injuries, Gane was promoted to undisputed champion and booked against the surging Hokit.
Gane and Hokit will look to cement their legacies with a defining win at UFC 334. For Hokit, it’ll be the culmination of one of the most remarkable runs in UFC heavyweight history.
Gane and his team have seen many different styles during the three-time titleholder’s UFC tenure. But for Gane’s longtime coach, Hokit presents a unique puzzle comparable to UFC Hall of Famer Cain Velasquez.
Ciryl Gane’s coach compares Josh Hokit to all-time great Cain Velasquez
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Gane’s longtime coach Fernand Lopez raised eyebrows by comparing Hokit to the UFC heavyweight great.
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“He’s not just another heavyweight coming forward to punch people; he’s got something. I think that besides Cain Velasquez, it’s been a long time since we had this kind of wrestler that can push you, make you guess, go for wrestling, if that’s not working, go back to striking; he’s not just relying on wrestling,” Lopez said of Hokit.
“He can put you out on the feet or he can put you out by submitting you… It’s well deserved for him, and I think that he is a huge challenge for Ciryl. Of course he’s going to wrestle, but he’s not going to wrestle right away.” (h/t Bloody Elbow)
Hokit hasn’t used his NCAA Division-I level wrestling much during his UFC tenure. The former Fresno State University wrestler squared off with the likes of Bo Nickal and other top names on the NCAA mats.
While Gane presents a big size advantage against Hokit, the latter will hold an arguably substantial advantage with his grappling. If Hokit is victorious at UFC 334, don’t be surprised if he goes on a run seldom seen in the UFC heavyweight division.
What is your prediction for Ciryl Gane vs. Josh Hokit? Share your thoughts in the comments!
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
