Lewis vs Hokit — Heavyweight · UFC Freedom 250
Scheduled · 14 Jun 2026
Tale of the Tape
- 29-13-0
- Record
- 9-0-0
- 3-2 last 5
- Recent form
- 5-0 last 5
- 41
- Age
- 28
- 1.91 m
- Height
- 1.85 m
- 201 cm
- Reach
- 187 cm
- Orthodox
- Stance
- Orthodox
- 86%
- Finish rate
- 89%
- 24
- Wins by KO/TKO
- 5
- 1
- Wins by submission
- 3
- 2.46
- Sig. strikes landed / min
- 9.25
- 2.57
- Sig. strikes absorbed / min
- 6.81
- 40%
- Striking defense
- 45%
- 52%
- Takedown defense
- 75%
- 8:50
- Avg. fight time
- 6:45
- Heavyweight
- Weight class
- Heavyweight
- USA
- Nationality
- USA
- 4oz Fight Club · Houston
- Team
- Jackson Wink MMA · Albuquerque
Career stats per UFC.com; recent form is each fighter's last five bouts. Numbers reflect records coming into fight night.
How the Fight Plays Out
Case for Lewis
The most knockout wins in UFC history, and all the explanation you need: Lewis has to land one short, heavy punch and any fight is over. Twenty-four of his 29 wins are knockouts. Against an unbeaten but untested prospect, the veteran's one-punch power and big-fight composure are the great equaliser.
Case for Hokit
Undefeated at 9-0, a freakish athlete with a college wrestling and football background and finishing pop of his own — eight of his nine wins are stoppages. Hokit is younger, fresher and far more active; if he can lean on his motor and wrestling to drag Lewis into the later minutes, the gap in pace could decide it.
What to Watch
- Lewis needs only one clean shot — can Hokit's chin and defense survive the early exchanges?
- Does Hokit trust his wrestling to take Lewis down, or stay in the pocket with the sport's biggest puncher?
- Lewis's cardio and motivation late against a young, relentless engine.
- Nine pro fights against a 40-plus-fight veteran — does inexperience show under the brightest lights of his career?
What the Experts Are Saying
Independent MMA analysts on this fight — who they pick, how, and the exact moment they say it. Tap any clip to hear it.
5 of 9 see a finish — 5 by KO/TKO, 1 by decision.
The MMA Guru called 2 of 4 The MMA Guru: picks Hokit — KO/TKO · R1
Hokit ("Josh Hockett") puts a crazy pace on a fading, quit-prone Lewis, dominating top position and ground-and-pound for a first-round TKO crumble.
Track record: winner called in 2 of 4 resolved picks.
We Want Picks called 2 of 5 We Want Picks: picks Hokit — to win
Hokit has no quit and relentless forward pressure, while Lewis has shown he'll quit when a finish isn't coming; his most confident pick on the card.
Track record: winner called in 2 of 5 resolved picks.
TheWeasle called 3 of 5 TheWeasle: picks Hokit — KO/TKO · R1
Hokit's speed and feints freeze Lewis, he blitzes in, scores the takedown and finishes with elbows and hammer fists.
Track record: winner called in 3 of 5 resolved picks, 1 a perfect call.
Demetrious Johnson track record building Demetrious Johnson: picks Hokit — to win
DJ expects Hokit to push the pressure, get in Lewis's face and frustrate him, since Lewis typically only hunts one big 'hitter-quitter' shot. Hokit always pushes the pace and shows up to fight — though Lewis can always land and catch him.
- Hokit's pace and feints frustrate Lewis's one-shot game
- Former 49ers fullback — elite athleticism and gas tank
- Caveat: Lewis can always catch him
“I'm going to go with Josh. I think he's going to push the pressure.”
Track record builds as we verify their past calls.
The W.A.D.E. Concept track record building The W.A.D.E. Concept: picks Hokit — Decision
Wade expects Hokit to lean on his elite wrestling rather than trade with Lewis's power — the only way he sees Lewis winning. The grappling wears down the older, slower Lewis, who tends to check out when tired, while Hokit mixes in ground-and-pound for a clean-sweep decision.
- Alternative floated: a late stoppage or submission
- Lewis himself expects Hokit to wrestle and tire him
- Standing with Lewis's power would be a terrible idea for Hokit
“I think Josh Hokit's going to win.”
Track record builds as we verify their past calls.
Bedtime MMA track record building Bedtime MMA: picks Hokit — KO/TKO · R1
He dismisses Lewis as a flat-footed puncher who flops around at range, and sees Hokit as the better athlete in cardio, striking, grappling, heart and fight IQ. He expects Hokit to melt Lewis on the fence or take him down for a first-round TKO; Lewis's only path is a fluke overhand.
- Lists Hokit ahead in cardio, striking, grappling, heart and IQ
- Lewis's only win is a fluke overhand KO
- Calls it the easiest fight on the card to break down
“I'm picking Josh by round one TKO.”
Track record builds as we verify their past calls.
HopperoMMA track record building HopperoMMA: picks Hokit — KO/TKO · R1
Hokit has legit NFL-grade wrestling and Lewis has essentially none, having been out-grappled by much of the division. The host expects an immediate takedown and ground-and-pound, and believes Lewis — a known quitter in high-stakes fights — gives up once on his back.
- Medium confidence — Lewis is the hardest puncher in the division
- Hokit is hittable and must stick to grappling, not trade
- Win comes via ground-and-pound TKO in round one
Track record builds as we verify their past calls.
Lucas Tracy track record building Lucas Tracy: picks Hokit — KO/TKO · R1 (note: An early read — filmed ~2 weeks out (1 Jun), before fight week.)
Tracy argues the 40-something Lewis is old, fragile-chinned and prone to wilting and has only been beating cans, while Hokit is a fast-handed, ferocious, athletic small heavyweight whose avalanche pressure overwhelms opponents. He expects a quick blitz, like the Curtis Blaydes win.
- Gives Lewis a 25-30% puncher's chance
- Hokit's relentless in-your-face style is dangerous to Lewis's chin
- Hokit's grappling is underrated — could finish on the ground
“I think we're going to see Josh Hokit knock out Derrick Lewis in the first round.”
* An early read — filmed ~2 weeks out (1 Jun), before fight week.
Track record builds as we verify their past calls.
Rashad Evans track record building Rashad Evans: picks Hokit — to win (note: A former champion's pick on the UFC on Paramount+ HQ Spotlight panel.)
Rashad frames the fight as a showcase for Hokit to let his hands go and entertain, and believes he gets the win this weekend — while warning he must respect Derrick Lewis's knockout power.
- Sees it as Hokit's coming-out moment
- Must watch out for Lewis's one-shot power
“I think he's going to let his hands go and I think he's going to get the win this weekend.”
* A former champion's pick on the UFC on Paramount+ HQ Spotlight panel.
Track record builds as we verify their past calls.
Michael Bisping on the fence Michael Bisping: on the fence — made no pick
Leans toward Hokit's speed, pressure and gas tank troubling a ~42-year-old Lewis, but won't commit — 'can Lewis land flush? I don't know.' The explicit 'Hokit' call late in the video is a guest's, not Bisping's; he frames a one-punch Lewis spark as the surprise, not his prediction.
Video
Lewis and Hokit at their best — tap to play here.