Dana White says Josh Hokit’s attack on Michelle Obama was “f–king gross” and had no place at the UFC’s high-profile White House event.
The UFC president addressed the controversy on The Pivot after Hokit falsely claimed that the former first lady “is a man” during a post-fight interview with Joe Rogan last month.
Hokit had just defeated Derrick Lewis on the White House lawn when he delivered the remark to the crowd. Rogan did not respond in the moment, but the comment quickly drew criticism from viewers.
“Inappropriate. The timing of it, and everything,” White said.
White, who previously described the statement as “nasty and false,” stressed that Hokit was speaking only for himself.
“Obviously not the opinion of the UFC and not my opinion or anybody else that fought on that card,” he said. “And it was a really unfortunate thing to happen on that night.”
Dana White went OFF on Josh Hokit for his "moronic" comments about Michelle Obama:
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 21, 2026
"It's f*cking gross, inappropriate, and obviously not the opinion of the UFC. It was a really unfortunate thing to happen that night."
(via @thepivot)pic.twitter.com/GPLuioqkWq
The executive said the controversy distracted from an event he believed had otherwise gone exactly as planned.
“When you sit this f–king grand slam home run and have a perfect event in every way that it could be, you got a f–king moronic, you know, it’s just, ugh,” White said.
Host Ryan Clark pressed White on the responsibility that comes with giving fighters a major platform. White replied that the reaction should not depend on politics.
“You can’t tell me that everybody on the right were like, ‘Yeah she’s a man,’” he said. “People were like, ‘What an idiot.’”
