American heavyweight Josh Hokit transformed his UFC 327 media day appearance into a surreal solo performance, shifting between various characters and delivering jokes laced with stereotypes, largely sidestepping any discussion about his upcoming fight against Curtis Blaydes.
Josh Hokit’s Hulk Hogan Persona and “Human Centipede” Reference
Entering the Miami media room adorned with a stars-and-stripes bandana and sunglasses, Hokit instantly adopted a husky, Hulk Hogan-esque promotional voice. He greeted reporters by asking, “You guys… down or do you want the Incredible Hulk, brother?” then flexed and inquired, “How do I look?” while his coach confirmed his appearance was satisfactory.
He then embarked on a macabre monologue concerning the heavyweight rankings, declaring his intent to “eliminate number four and sever his head,” subsequently “attaching it to Alex Pereira’s body,” and “stitching number three to the anus of number two,” a clear homage to the horror film “The Human Centipede.” He elaborated on this grotesque concept, promising to stitch “number two’s head… to the anus of number one,” and parade this composite “human ‘centipede'” on a leash in his yard as “the Incredible Hulk,” eliciting uneasy laughter and sparse applause.
Maintaining his wrestling-inspired rhythm, Hokit boomed that he was in “Miami, Florida, oh yeah,” proclaiming that “20,000 people, 20 million watching around the world” were there “to see the Incredible Hulk.” He pledged to demonstrate he was “the best from the east to the west, to the old dying man, to the baby on the breast.” He even launched into a mock appeal to his “Mama,” reiterating that “the Incredible Hulk” was “the best, mama,” echoing phrases he had previously used under his “Incredible Hok” persona in various interviews and podcasts. The entire display mimicked an exaggerated pro-wrestling promo, a style Hokit has favored since establishing his “Incredible Hok” brand before his Contender Series debut.
Transition to a “Mexican Gangster” Character
During the press scrum, Hokit abruptly abandoned his Hulk Hogan voice, called for a teammate named “Jared,” then paused and announced, “the [expletive] B’s coming out, dog,” before adopting a stereotypical Mexican-American gangster persona he dubbed “the down vato.” Speaking in this accent, he apologized for things getting “kind of weird, dog,” then boasted, “I’ve just been picking up girls, dog, and beating up squirrels, dog,” leading into a crude joke:
“How do you get a squirrel down from a tree, homie? You drop your pants and show them your nuts, homie.” He then proceeded with ethnic wordplay, asking, “What do you call a Mexican that lost his car? Carlos,” and, “What do you call a Mexican that doesn’t like protein powder? No way, Jose.” These jokes were met with near silence from the media.
Remaining in character, Hokit addressed a question regarding a hallway encounter with light heavyweight title challenger Jiri Prochazka. He asserted he was demonstrating his “toughness,” proclaiming, “Cutting weight’s for cowards, homie… the down vato doesn’t cut no weight, homie. Straight up, dog.”
This incident followed a viral clip from the fighter hotel, where Hokit, using the same persona and accent, wielded a toy lightsaber at Prochazka, threatening to dismember him and attach his head to Alex Pereira’s body, thereby extending his bizarre stitched-body narrative beyond the media room.
Amidst the horror-themed imagery, costumed confrontation, and ethnic humor, the performance drew significant criticism from both fans and media outlets. Reports labeled the media day display as “bizarre,” “cringe-worthy,” and “unhinged,” raising questions about whether such character antics would benefit or harm the UFC’s reputation leading into UFC 327.
Hokit’s theatrical display overshadowed the reality that he faces a pivotal “sink-or-swim” bout this weekend against Curtis Blaydes on the main card of UFC 327 in Miami. Scheduled for Saturday, April 11, at the Kaseya Center, the fight pits Blaydes, a top-five heavyweight with extensive experience, a wrestling-dominant style, and victories over multiple former contenders, against Hokit, an undefeated 8-0 prospect whose wins have all come by stoppage, including two swift UFC knockouts.
Despite all the discourse surrounding “Hulks” and “down vatos,” this marks Hokit’s first encounter with an elite, ranked opponent. The outcome of this fight will likely determine if his “Incredible Hok” persona propels him into the heavyweight top 10 or if it falters against a seasoned veteran who has already competed in five grueling rounds against the division’s best.