Josh Hokit escalates heavyweight pressure on Tom Aspinall, calls for UFC to cut champion

Heavyweight contender Josh Hokit has renewed the pressure on UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, arguing the promotion should move on from the champion because of inactivity. In remarks reported by Yahoo Sports, Hokit called for the UFC to strip Aspinall of the heavyweight title and to release him from the organization, framing the issue as one of credibility and responsibility to the division.

Hokit’s comments also extended beyond the heavyweight title picture. The same report notes that he continued to take shots at Alex Pereira, a former UFC two-division champion, keeping the criticism aimed at prominent figures rather than limiting it to the immediate championship path. That broader targeting indicates Hokit’s intent to position himself not just as a challenger, but as an outspoken advocate for how UFC should run its top ranks.

The thrust of Hokit’s argument, as described in the report, is that Aspinall’s standing as champion should be paired with consistent activity. Hokit characterized Aspinall in sharply derogatory terms and suggested the champion’s behavior and timeline do not meet the standard expected of a belt-holder in a division where contenders are waiting for title opportunities.

Aspirationally, Hokit is aiming to control the narrative around the heavyweight division, where momentum often depends on frequent headline fights and clear title progressions. By arguing for both stripping the title and an organizational separation, he is pushing far past the common “next fight” demand, and into a call for a full reset of the champion’s status within the sport’s marquee promotion.

At the same time, the UFC typically balances public-facing division planning with a champion’s contractual and medical realities, along with promotion-wide schedule considerations. Because this story is based on reported remarks and does not establish any formal decision by the UFC, the near-term practical impact is uncertain. Still, public challenges from contenders can influence how fans and analysts interpret inactivity, and they can also shape how the next round of negotiations and matchmaking are perceived.

What to watch next is whether the UFC addresses the comments directly, clarifies Aspinall’s expected timeline, or instead lets the division steer toward a next opponent appointment that answers the demand for clarity. If Hokit continues to argue for a forced change to the title hierarchy, the UFC may face more external pressure to explain how it plans to keep the heavyweight belt aligned with the division’s competitive cadence.

For Hokit, the strategy is straightforward: force the conversation into whether the champion is “earning” the title by staying active, and put himself at the center of that debate. For Aspinall and the UFC, the key question is whether the next steps for the heavyweight championship picture will satisfy the kind of accountability Hokit is calling for, or whether the promotion will absorb the criticism and proceed on its existing plan.