MMA World Loses Its Mind After Ciryl Gane’s Record-Breaking Win Over Josh Hokit At UFC 334

Ciryl Gane's five-round war with Josh Hokit at UFC 334 drew reactions from across the MMA world. Fighters appreciated the intensity of the fight but questioned the scoring. Gane retained the heavyweight title with a unanimous decision, winning 48-47 on all three judges' scorecards. The fight broke the UFC heavyweight record for combined significant strikes, with Gane outlanding Hokit 298-243. Gane's 237 significant strikes also set a new heavyweight record, surpassing the mark previously held by Daniel Cormier.

Great war ???? Congratulations bon gamin! ????????

— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) November 15, 2026

A fight that had UFC stars and fans on the edge of their seats

Former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou's response was brief, stating: “Great war. Congratulations, bon gamin!” Ngannou, who beat Gane in their 2022 title unification bout, praised the Frenchman's performance.

Merab Dvalishvili, who was in Abu Dhabi for the RAF's event, said, "This is the most exciting UFC heavyweight fight I've ever watched!”

Paulo Costa summed up the reaction of many fans, writing, "What the hell did I just watch? These two guys tried to kill each other for 25 minutes. Crazy fight. Respect.”

Derek Brunson felt the fight was an indication of what was to come. “This is the future of the heavyweight division, two in-shape heavyweights who can scrap. RIP to the fat heavyweights!” he wrote.

Jones aims Hokit

Jon Jones was among the first to react, taking a pointed swipe at Josh Hokit after the loss. “Same coaches, different results,” Jones wrote on Instagram, referencing the fact that both fighters train at Jackson-Wink MMA.

Jones, who beat Ciryl Gane at UFC 285, also praised the Frenchman. “Put your hand down. Good job, Frenchman,” he said in a video posted after the fight.

Jones later doubled down on social media, claiming that almost every fighter who talks trash about him ends up losing their next fight. The comment was aimed at Hokit, who had previously taken shots at Jones.

Johnny Walker questions Gane's fighting style

Johnny Walker was less impressed by the fight, questioning Gane's movement. “How does a champ defend his belt walking backwards 5 rounds?” Walker wrote.

Walker, who made his heavyweight debut this year and is 2-0 in the division, also claimed he could beat both Hokit and Gane on one day's notice. His comments added fuel to the growing list of contenders in a heavyweight division that suddenly feels more open.

Gane's win marked his first successful defence of the undisputed heavyweight title. Hokit suffered his first professional loss, dropping to 10-1.