Hokit Shares Pepper Spray Video Ahead of Gane Bout
UFC heavyweight Josh Hokit posted footage of himself being pepper sprayed in a gym session before his scheduled November 14 fight with Ciryl Gane.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Mixed Martial Arts
Josh Hokit posted a video on Instagram showing himself being pepper sprayed by a friend in his gym. Hokit continued training, hitting pads and taking down a training partner while dealing with the effects of the spray.
Why it matters
The incident raises attention to a training safety lapse just weeks before Hokit's scheduled bout with Ciryl Gane at UFC 334. Eye injuries have already shaped recent heavyweight matchups, including Gane's eye poke of Tom Aspinall at UFC 321 in October 2025.
The bout between Hokit and Gane is scheduled for November 14, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Gane's earlier eye poke of Aspinall in October 2025 left Aspinall unable to continue, and the extent of any injury to Hokit has not been reported.
The players
Josh Hokit
Josh Hokit is a professional mixed martial arts heavyweight who posted the video of himself being pepper sprayed in his gym.
Ciryl Gane
Ciryl Gane is a French heavyweight mixed martial artist and former interim UFC heavyweight champion, known for his technical striking.
The details
Hokit was pepper sprayed by a friend during a gym session and later posted the clip to Instagram. He hit pads and took down a training partner while the effects were ongoing, and his friend said the spray was meant to be fake but actually burned their eyes.
Timeline
October 2025: Ciryl Gane poked Tom Aspinall in both eyes at UFC 321.
October 31, 2026: UFC Vegas 123 took place while Hokit filmed his training session.
November 14, 2026: Hokit faces Ciryl Gane at UFC 334 in Madison Square Garden.
Season Trajectory
Gane's bout with Hokit follows his October 2025 eye poke of Tom Aspinall, which left Aspinall unable to continue and drew attention to eye safety in heavyweight fights. Hokit's training incident adds another eye-related story to the division heading into the UFC 334 card.
Fans following the heavyweight division can track Hokit's November 14 bout with Gane, which will show whether Hokit's training incident affects his preparation. Gane's eye pokes at UFC 321 and this fight may influence how judges and officials address eye safety in future bouts.
The takeaway
Training incidents can carry real injury risk even when a prop is described as fake, and eye safety remains a live concern in the heavyweight division. Readers following the Hokit and Gane matchup should watch for official updates ahead of the November 14 card.
What happens next
Hokit and Gane are scheduled to meet at UFC 334 on November 14, 2026, at Madison Square Garden.
Further reading
For more context on the fight card, see Mixed Martial Arts coverage across the United States.
