Home Entertainment DANA WHITE BREAKS HIS SILENCE AFTER UFC FIGHTER’S CONTROVERSIAL OCTAGON REMARKS SPARK...

DANA WHITE BREAKS HIS SILENCE AFTER UFC FIGHTER’S CONTROVERSIAL OCTAGON REMARKS SPARK MAJOR BACKLASH. K2

16/06/2026

Josh Hokit made the comment to Joe Rogan after he won his fight at Sunday’s White House Freedom 250 event.

Side-by-side photos of a shirtless tattooed man with his arms crossed and Michelle Obama making an incrediulous face — Josh Hokit in Las Vegas in 2025; Michelle Obama at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty; Chip Somodevilla/Getty

UFC president and CEO Dana White is not happy with Josh Hokit after the fighter insulted former first lady Michelle Obama at the White House’s Freedom 250 event on Sunday.

Following his heavyweight victory against Derrick Lewis in the fourth fight of the night, Hokit made a crude comment about Obama during a chat with emcee Joe Rogan on the Paramount+ broadcast — as President Donald Trump sat nearby.

“Hey, shout out to Trump for having the balls to put on some s–t like this,” Hokit said in his postfight interview in the Octagon, during which he also praised God.

Before exiting the ring, he finished his speech with, “Lastly, Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?”

Groans could be heard from the South Lawn following the comment, which Rogan seemingly ignored, simply stating, “Ladies and gentlemen, Josh Hokit.”

Although Hokit’s words were not addressed during the broadcast, White later told TIME he does not condone that kind of behavior.

“I understand that the Obamas are public figures but I’m completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families,” White wrote in a text message to the outlet. “Everyone knows my position on free speech but I hate that kind of nonsense.”

Entertainment Weekly has reached out to UFC, Paramount+, and the White House for comments. EW has also contacted a rep for Obama, but no statements about Hokit’s insult were shared at the time of publication.

In the lead-up to the event, White said he didn’t see the White House UFC fight as political, but rather something all Americans could take in.

“I love this country, and this event was for America’s 250th birthday. There was no political agenda or anything like that,” White said on Sunday, according to ESPN.

“The fact that the president of the United States trusted me, they could have had anything. There’s tons of things going on in this city up until July 4 to celebrate. The fact that he trusted me to do this and to deliver tonight and we did,” said White.

White sat next to President Trump and first lady Melania Trump in the front row, as most of the fighters shared how honored they were to be competing in the evening’s wild festivities, which aimed to celebrate veterans, first responders, and the president’s 80th birthday.

Josh Hokit shaking hand with Donald Trump following his win.Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Getty

CNN reported that Trump “appeared to show a half-smile” seconds after Hokit’s remark about the former first lady. The New York Post also reported, however, that Trump removed a medallion Hokit placed around his neck shortly after he shouted out the transphobic insult.

Even comedian Shane Gillis, who’s been in hot water for his own distasteful jokes, wasn’t a fan of Hokit’s words.

“I didn’t love that,” Gill, who was in attendance at the UFC event, told TMZ. “Nah, I don’t like that [bleep].”

During a 2024 campaign rally for Kamala Harris, Obama slammed Trump’s “childish, mean-spirited antics” and expressed a deep frustration with the public, who often gives him a pass despite his behavior.

“I am asking y’all from the core of my being to take [women’s] lives seriously — please,” Obama added. “Do not put our lives in the hands of politicians — mostly men — who have no clue or do not care about what we, as women, are going through.”

Hokit used the same insult earlier against WNBA star Brittney Griner this year following a fight during a UFC event in January.

At the time, Rogan, who also hosted that event, said, “Brittney Griner catching strays.” White didn’t approve of the remark, saying, “I heard about it. I didn’t see it. I don’t love it.”

Josh Hokit shaking hands with U.S. President Donald J. Trump following his win in a heavyweight fight during the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn at the White House on June 14, 2026 — Josh Hokit in Las Vegas in 2025; Michelle Obama at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty; Chip Somodevilla/Getty

UFC president and CEO Dana White is not happy with Josh Hokit after the fighter insulted former first lady Michelle Obama at the White House’s Freedom 250 event on Sunday.

Following his heavyweight victory against Derrick Lewis in the fourth fight of the night, Hokit made a crude comment about Obama during a chat with emcee Joe Rogan on the Paramount+ broadcast — as President Donald Trump sat nearby.

“Hey, shout out to Trump for having the balls to put on some s–t like this,” Hokit said in his postfight interview in the Octagon, during which he also praised God.

Before exiting the ring, he finished his speech with, “Lastly, Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?”

Groans could be heard from the South Lawn following the comment, which Rogan seemingly ignored, simply stating, “Ladies and gentlemen, Josh Hokit.”

Although Hokit’s words were not addressed during the broadcast, White later told TIME he does not condone that kind of behavior.

“I understand that the Obamas are public figures but I’m completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families,” White wrote in a text message to the outlet. “Everyone knows my position on free speech but I hate that kind of nonsense.”

Entertainment Weekly has reached out to UFC, Paramount+, and the White House for comments. EW has also contacted a rep for Obama, but no statements about Hokit’s insult were shared at the time of publication.

In the lead-up to the event, White said he didn’t see the White House UFC fight as political, but rather something all Americans could take in.

“I love this country, and this event was for America’s 250th birthday. There was no political agenda or anything like that,” White said on Sunday, according to ESPN.

“The fact that the president of the United States trusted me, they could have had anything. There’s tons of things going on in this city up until July 4 to celebrate. The fact that he trusted me to do this and to deliver tonight and we did,” said White.

White sat next to President Trump and first lady Melania Trump in the front row, as most of the fighters shared how honored they were to be competing in the evening’s wild festivities, which aimed to celebrate veterans, first responders, and the president’s 80th birthday.

Josh Hokit shaking hand with Donald Trump following his win.Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Getty

CNN reported that Trump “appeared to show a half-smile” seconds after Hokit’s remark about the former first lady. The New York Post also reported, however, that Trump removed a medallion Hokit placed around his neck shortly after he shouted out the transphobic insult.

Even comedian Shane Gillis, who’s been in hot water for his own distasteful jokes, wasn’t a fan of Hokit’s words.

“I didn’t love that,” Gill, who was in attendance at the UFC event, told TMZ. “Nah, I don’t like that [bleep].”

During a 2024 campaign rally for Kamala Harris, Obama slammed Trump’s “childish, mean-spirited antics” and expressed a deep frustration with the public, who often gives him a pass despite his behavior.

“I am asking y’all from the core of my being to take [women’s] lives seriously — please,” Obama added. “Do not put our lives in the hands of politicians — mostly men — who have no clue or do not care about what we, as women, are going through.”

Hokit used the same insult earlier against WNBA star Brittney Griner this year following a fight during a UFC event in January.

At the time, Rogan, who also hosted that event, said, “Brittney Griner catching strays.” White didn’t approve of the remark, saying, “I heard about it. I didn’t see it. I don’t love it.”