Alexis Ohanian has condemned Josh Hokit’s insult about Michelle Obama, calling it “vile and inappropriate,” and he wants people to know he was not in the crowd when it happened.
The Reddit co-founder addressed the backlash on Wednesday on X, days after attending a UFC-White House event where Hokit, an MMA fighter, called the former First Lady “a man” after his Sunday match.
“Lot of people asking me to comment,” Ohanian began, before condemning “that fighter’s slur about former First Lady Michelle Obama.”
Ohanian, who is married to Serena Williams, said he attended because of an invitation from TKO/IMG leadership, noting that he owns “5 pro sports teams + a league.” By the time Hokit made the comment, Ohanian said, “I was already on my way home.”
He added that he was “glad to see Dana [White] condemn them.”
Hokit yelled into the mic on the night of his win that Michelle Obama “is a man.”
UFC CEO Dana White said he was “completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families.” Columnist David Marcus called it “utterly unacceptable” as well.
Ohanian also reminded followers of a major career move from 2020. “For context: I resigned in protest from Reddit,” he wrote, saying he wanted the company he co-founded to curb “communities for hate and violence.”
