A UFC fighter has triggered widespread condemnation after allegedly using his post-fight interview at a White House event to publicly revive a long-running conspiracy theory targeting former First Lady Michelle Obama.
Heavyweight Josh Hokit, 28, made the comment on Sunday, June 14, following his second-round TKO victory over Derrick Lewis at UFC Freedom 250, an event held on the South Lawn of the White House to celebrate President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and the 250th anniversary of American independence. It marked the first professional sporting event in White House history.
The Controversial Remarks
Interviewed inside the Octagon by longtime UFC commentator Joe Rogan, Hokit delivered a rambling post-fight address that began with praise for the president. “Shoutout to Trump for having the balls to put some sh– like this on,” he said, before mentioning his Christian faith. The fighter then issued a callout to light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira: “Alex Pereira, I wanna chama on your mama.”
It was his final statement, however, that drew immediate backlash. “And lastly, Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?” Hokit declared into the microphone.
Reactions from the crowd, estimated at thousands gathered at the Ellipse south of the White House, were mixed — some cheered, others laughed, while many appeared bewildered by the remark. Rogan did not address the comment, instead simply announcing, “Ladies and gentlemen, Josh Hokit,” before ending the interview.
President Trump, seated cageside alongside UFC CEO Dana White and First Lady Melania Trump, reportedly displayed what CNN described as a “half-smile” following the outburst.
A Pattern of Provocative Behavior
Sunday’s remark was not an isolated incident. Hokit has a well-documented history of inflammatory statements, and this was the second time he has used a post-fight platform to falsely claim a prominent woman is a man.
In January 2026, after defeating Denzel Freeman at UFC 324 in Las Vegas, Hokit concluded his interview with, “And P.S., Brittney Griner is a man.” The 6-foot-9 WNBA star was the target of the same baseless attack.
Hokit has also previously claimed he is “100 percent transphobic,” referring to Black MMA competitor Torrez Finney as a “human gorilla,” a racist remark that drew widespread condemnation. The fighter has spoken openly about his provocative approach to building a public persona. In an interview with MMA Fighting, he explained, “I think MMA fighters are getting too caught up in being the macho man or the stoic, polite guy. I don’t know what’s going on in their mind. I just think they’re lazy and they don’t want to put themselves out there.” He added, quoting Batman: “You die a hero or live long enough to see yourself as a villain.”
Before Sunday’s fight, Hokit further courted controversy by fake-vomiting on his chest during the weigh-in ceremony — a stunt widely dismissed by fans as a calculated attention-seeking maneuver.
From NFL Hopeful to Undefeated UFC Contender
Hokit’s athletic background has been marked by constant transition. Born in Bakersfield, California, in 1997, he starred in both football and wrestling at Clovis High School before continuing his football career at Fresno State from 2016 to 2019. During his time with the Bulldogs, he rushed for 1,260 yards and 17 touchdowns while also contributing as a linebacker.
After going undrafted, he spent two years on the San Francisco 49ers practice squad as a fullback before pivoting to professional mixed martial arts in 2023. The transition has yielded rapid success: Hokit is now 10-0 as a professional and 4-0 in the UFC, with three of his wins coming by knockout. He was signed off Dana White’s Contender Series after an undefeated run in Bellator MMA and has quickly risen to the No. 7 ranking in the heavyweight division.
His victory over Derrick Lewis — a 41-year-old veteran who holds the UFC record for career knockouts with 16 — was Hokit’s most high-profile win to date. Following the fight, he exited the Octagon and placed a gold medallion necklace around Trump’s neck as a birthday gift, an image that quickly circulated across social media.
The Conspiracy Theory and Trump’s Response
The claim that Michelle Obama is transgender is a baseless conspiracy theory that has circulated online for more than a decade. Often referred to as “transvestigation,” it has targeted numerous celebrities and public figures and is widely understood by researchers to be rooted in racism, transphobia, and misogyny. Fact-checking organizations including Snopes, PolitiFact, and The Associated Press have repeatedly debunked the claim.
The conspiracy has been amplified over the years by far-right personalities, including Alex Jones on his former Infowars show, and more recently by Elon Musk’s father, Errol Musk. In February 2026, Trump himself faced sharp criticism after posting an AI-generated video to his Truth Social account depicting the Obamas as apes.
Despite Hokit’s remarks being delivered in the presence of the president, Trump has not publicly condemned the fighter’s statement. On Truth Social following the event, he made no reference to the comment, instead praising the fighters and the atmosphere: “The UFC at the White House last night was incredible. The Fighters were outstanding — Bo Nickal, Justin Gaethje, Josh Hokit, and others were unbelievable! Most people have never seen anything like that kind of human speed and power before.”
Official Responses
The Obama family has not publicly addressed Hokit’s remarks. Representatives for former First Lady Michelle Obama did not respond to requests for comment from multiple news outlets.
UFC CEO Dana White, however, sought to distance both himself and the organization from the controversy. In a statement to TIME, 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.” Despite this condemnation, White announced no fine, suspension, or other disciplinary action against Hokit — a response critics noted was unchanged from when the fighter previously targeted Brittney Griner.
Critics on social media were far less restrained. One prominent progressive activist described the comments as “disgusting,” while others called out the White House for hosting an event where such a remark was delivered from a government podium. Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy organization, issued a statement condemning Hokit’s remarks as “yet another example of how hateful conspiracy theories are being normalized on one of the world’s most prominent stages.”
The controversy has also drawn attention to broader criticisms of the UFC Freedom 250 event itself. Dozens of protesters gathered across the entrance gates to the Ellipse, carrying signs and chanting against what they described as political co-optation. “This reeks of corruption — way too much corruption,” said Susan Douglas, an organizer with Third Act Virginia. “Let’s face it, it’s for Trump’s birthday and has nothing to do with the founding of our country.”
White has maintained that the White House card was not a political event, despite more than $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor being invested in building the arena on the South Lawn, according to a National Park Service court filing.
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