Why Trump’s UFC event at White House upset Michelle Obama supporters

Donald Trump’s 80th birthday celebrations took a rather controversial turn when one of the fighters at his Freedom UFC 250 showcase made an unsavoury comment about former US First Lady Michelle Obama.

Josh Hokit, a heavyweight fighter known for making controversial comments — he once called a Black UFC fighter a “human gorilla” — called Michelle Obama a man, quickly becoming one of the most spoken about aspects of Trump’s fight night.

What exactly happened? Who is Josh Hokit? We have the answers here.

UFC fighter calls out Michelle Obama in victory speech

>> As part of US President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday as well as the country’s 250th anniversary, the White House organised the Freedom UFC 250 event on the South Lawn.

>> The event saw a number of fighters sparring against one another, including heavyweight fighter Josh Hokit.

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>> After beating Derrick Lewis by second-round TKO in their heavyweight fight, Hokit took to the mic from host Joe Rogan to make his victory speech.

>> He began his remarks with a shout-out to US President Trump. Then things took a turn for the worse. “Now listen, Alex Pereira, I’m going to chama on your mama,’’ he said. “And lastly, Michelle O’Bama is a man! Am I right, America?’’

>> Soon after Hokit made the comments, Michelle Obama started trending online. On Google, the former US First Lady was listed among the top trends, while on X, she became a viral topic.

UFC fighter receives flak for Obama remarks

>> While there were no reactions from Michelle Obama herself, social media exploded with many calling out Hokit and the Trump administration for the comments.

> Aaron Rupar, a known journalist, wrote on X, “Josh Hokit just ended his post-fight speech at the White House UFC event by yelling ‘Michelle Obama is a man!’ A disgraceful spectacle through and through.”

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with America's Josh Hokit during the "UFC Freedom 250" mixed martial arts event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC. AFP

>> Another X user wrote, “Oh, that was nice. Josh Hokit ended his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan by calling Michelle Obama a man. Nothing says let’s celebrate America quite like that. Truly special.”

>> Others also seemed to weigh in on Hokit’s remarks at the UFC event. “The fighter yelling ‘Michelle Obama is a man,’ at an official White House event to honour America is utterly unacceptable, and the administration should have denounced it in no uncertain terms,” wrote one netizen on X.

> Others were frustrated to see Rogan laughing in the background and to have commentators not acknowledge the insult. “The crazy part was no apology from UFC or the announcers, saying they don’t condone that behaviour. SMH,” said one user. Another added, “This is NOT OKAY! People better speak up!”

US President Donald Trump smiles as he sits next to First Lady Melania Trump and UFC CEO Dana White while posing for a photo with other guests during UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House. Reuters

Hokit is no stranger to controversy

>> Calling Michelle Obama a man isn’t Hokit’s first brush with controversy.

>> Also known as “The Incredible Hok,” Hokit is known for his crazy antics and offensive persona in the sport.

>> In the past, he has said that he wished he could report his mom, who is Mexican, to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He’s repeatedly accused high-profile women of being men, including basketball player Brittney Griner.

>> Hokit’s trash-talking has also led to confrontations with fellow fighters, including Ilia Topuria and Jiří Procházka. His behaviour at press conferences and weigh-ins often includes interrupting other fighters and staging bizarre stunts. In fact, a day before the event at the White House, at the weigh-ins, Hokit seemingly pretended to throw up, claiming he had been drinking the previous night.

>> While a polarising personality, Hokit remains a dominant personality within the UFC world as he took his record to 10-0.

With inputs from agencies