WASHINGTON — UFC president and CEO Dana White was thrilled with the overall execution and success of Sunday night’s fight card at the White House with one glaring exception.
White condemned the comments of controversial heavyweight Josh Hokit, who continued his habit of courting controversy by making a derogatory comment about former first lady Michelle Obama.
Hokit, a former Fresno State football player, thanked President Donald Trump for hosting the event and made a crude comment about headliner Alex Pereira’s mother.
“And lastly,” he proclaimed. “Michelle Obama is a man! Am I right, America?”
White wasn’t amused.
“I understand that the Obama’s are public figures but I’m completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families,” White told Time Magazine in a text message. “Everyone knows my position on free speech but I hate that kind of nonsense.”
The comment marred an otherwise successful evening despite widespread debate about whether the event should happen at all.
White said at the post-fight news conference in the early hours Monday morning he was proud the event stayed relatively neutral for the most part.
“I love this country, and this event was for America’s 250th birthday,” he said. “There was no political agenda or anything like that.”
Hokit’s comment has been criticized throughout much of the media landscape, though a vocal corner of the social media world has quickly and loudly embraced him.
There has been no comment from Trump or the White House, which has led even Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, typically a supporter, to call on the president to speak out against Hokit’s words.
“These are UFC guys, they’re crazy. They’re idiots,” Portnoy said Monday on “Wake Up Barstool.” “But when you have that on the White House lawn on an event you put on … I don’t care what you think about the Obamas or anything. That has to be an immediate denounce.”
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
