UFC fighter Josh Hokit has intensified backlash over his offensive remarks about former first lady Michelle Obama, repeating the claim in a new Instagram post after making it publicly at Donald Trump’s White House birthday event.
Hokit, a former NFL player who previously spent time on the San Francisco 49ers’ roster, drew immediate outrage on Sunday night when he used his post-fight interview to target Michelle Obama with a baseless and inflammatory comment.
Standing on the South Lawn after his victory, Hokit spoke with podcaster Joe Rogan and first praised Trump for staging the event. He then launched into a rambling speech that invoked Jesus Christ, addressed fellow fighter Alex Pereira, and ended with the shocking declaration: “Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?”
The remark stunned many in attendance and quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the Freedom 250 event. According to CNN, Trump appeared to react with a “half-smile” as the crowd responded with a mix of cheers and boos.
Hokit’s decision to double down on the statement on Instagram has only deepened the controversy, drawing renewed criticism over language many viewed as hateful and demeaning.
CNN reported that Trump was spotted showing a ‘half-smile’ after Hokit made the remark, as a mixture of cheers and boos was heard at the Freedom 250 event.
Josh Hokit called Michelle Obama a ‘man’ during his post-fight speech at the White House
Donald Trump sat cageside as Hokit (right) beat Derrick Lewis on the South Lawn Sunday night
Now, Hokit has taken to Instagram to reflect on the controversy surrounding his comments, and he appeared to double down with his latest post.
Alongside a photo of himself, he said: ‘Strong and Courageous. The only two reasons I joined this sport.
‘If you exercise those every single day and back them up with hard work, the money and success will follow. I’m not here to be liked. I’m not here to be a role model.
‘I don’t care. I’m here to succeed. I’ll do whatever it takes to get where I want to go, and if you don’t like it… Come beat me in a fight.’
The comment section of the post was immediately flooded with reactions, as one UFC fan noted: ‘So happy you won’t ever be big in the UFC.’
Another added: ‘Josh Hokit is a woman.’
Others, though, backed the fighter, with one claiming: ‘Dude that Michelle Obama joke was GOATED!’
Hokit was in no mood to apologize and instead appeared to double down on his comments
The comment concerning her gender is a conspiracy theory typically used by right-wing antagonists against the former first lady
The official UFC X page shared an eight-second clip of Hokit’s post-fight interview but cut the moment he spoke about the former first lady.
Speaking with Time Magazine, UFC CEO Dana White said: ‘I understand that the Obamas are public figures but I’m completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families.
‘Everyone knows my position on free speech but I hate that kind of nonsense.’
It is not the first time Hokit has hurled such an insult. At a UFC event in January, he also called WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner a man.
At the time, White said of the Griner slur: ‘I heard about it. I didn’t see it, I don’t love it.’
The President has not yet commented on Hokit’s remark about Michelle Obama.
The main fight of the event, which coincided with Trump’s 80th birthday, saw American Justin Gaethje beat Georgian-Spanish Ilia Topuria in the fourth round.
UFC boss Dana White walks alongside Donald Trump from the White House to the South Lawn
The two fighters began their walkouts from the Oval Office at the event to mark America’s 250th anniversary of independence.
Afterward, Trump and First Lady Melania entered the blood-spattered Octagon cage to congratulate a jubilant Gaethje, who wished the President a happy birthday.
‘Beyond anything you could imagine,’ Trump, who is due to head straight to the G7 summit in France, told reporters when asked how the evening went.
It came after the President himself came under fire earlier this year for posting a racist video to Truth Social that depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as apes.
The AI video shows the faces of the former president and first lady superimposed on animal bodies, followed by The Tokens’ song The Lion Sleeps Tonight.
The clip focused on his accusations of fraud during the 2020 election and belonged to a pro-Trump account on X but was reposted by Trump on his platform.
It sparked widespread condemnation across the political divide. Trump removed the video, and later told reporters: ‘I looked at it. I didn’t see the whole thing. I gave it to the people, they posted it.’
He said he ‘didn’t see’ the section of the clip where the couple were portrayed as apes.
Trump is gifted a chain by Hokit following his UFC win on Sunday night
‘What I saw in the beginning was really strong. It was about fraudulent elections.
‘Anytime I see that stuff and it’s credible, you put it up. I didn’t do it. This was done by someone else. It was a re-truth but that was a very strong truth.’
Trump also said that the staffer the White House alleged posted the video will not be fired.
He was then asked if he would apologize. ‘No, I didn’t make a mistake,’ he said.
