UFC 334 headliners Ciryl Gane and Josh Hokit came face-to-face at Times Square on Tuesday evening ahead of their heavyweight championship clash.
The main event competitors for this weekend’s Madison Square Garden card gathered at one of New York City’s popular tourist attractions during fight week activities, according to NDTV Sports. Gane wore a leather jacket with a hoodie underneath, while Hokit sported a New York Yankees jersey over a hoodie, according to MMA Junkie. Both fighters removed their glasses as they squared up and exchanged words while fans cheered around them.
Ciryl Gane says Josh Hokit's trash talk won't work unless he targets his mother Via: @RMCSportCombat pic.twitter.com/Mv3x8roxMk
Gane enters the bout holding a 14-2-0 record with one no-contest, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 247 pounds, according to Doc’s Sports. The undefeated Hokit brings a 10-0-0 record into his first UFC main event appearance, standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 235 pounds.
Ahead of the title fight, Gane addressed Hokit’s known trash-talking style in an interview with RMC.
He does what he wants to do; I don’t control it.
Ciryl Gane
Sean O’Malley weighed in on the matchup on his YouTube channel, stating that he is backing the challenger while acknowledging the champion’s abilities, as reported by NDTV Sports.
I want to see Josh Hokit win so bad,
Sean O’Malley
O’Malley added that he is a big fan of Gane and loves his style at heavyweight, but wants to see Hokit continue his character and be a menace to the promotion.
UFC 334 takes place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The fight card features a heavyweight championship bout between Ciryl Gane and Josh Hokit, alongside a women’s bantamweight championship bout between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes. The main card is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET and streams on Paramount+, with preliminary action scheduled ahead of the main card.
Gane holds an 11-2 record inside the UFC alongside his overall 14-2-0 mark, while Hokit enters the contest with a 4-0 UFC record. Gane holds an 81-inch reach compared to Hokit’s 73-inch reach. In striking statistics, Gane lands 5.40 significant strikes per minute with a 61% accuracy, while Hokit lands 9.29 strikes per minute with a 64% accuracy. In grappling metrics, Gane averages 0.66 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Opening odds for the championship matchup listed Gane at -181 and Hokit at +158. Additional matchups slated for the main card include Yousri Belgaroui facing Caio Borralho, and Kevin Holland meeting Uros Medic.
Gane earned his status as undisputed heavyweight champion following a sequence of events in the division, including a previous interim title victory over Alex Pereira at the White House on the Freedom 250 card in June.
Showdown in Time Square 👀@Ciryl_Gane vs @Josh_HokitUFC [ #Polymarket #UFC334 LIVE NOV 14 at 9pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/6dS9FzPvoW
Hokit secured his title opportunity following a victory over Derrick Lewis at the same June event, though his post-fight remarks drew substantial public criticism. Gane noted during UFC Countdown coverage that Hokit performed well against Lewis while offering his perspective on the challenger’s promotional tactics.
Gane remarked during the promotional material that Hokit acts strategically rather than genuinely foolish, stating that the American pretends to be a clown to entertain fans while hiding a sharper approach. Analysts and commentators have noted the physical disparity between the two athletes, with Gane maintaining advantages in height and reach as he prepares for his initial defense of the undisputed heavyweight belt.