The former two-division UFC champion will make the move up to heavyweight this weekend - but the Brazilian has been distracted by a UFC rival ahead of his return13:09, 11 Jun 2026Alex Pereira has heard rumblings that UFC rival Josh Hokit could be brutally axed from the UFC after the White House event this weekend.‌The former two-division UFC champion is due to move up to heavyweight on Sunday night against Ciryl Gane. The pair will clash for the interim 265lb title - with the winner earning themselves a showdown with undisputed champion Tom Aspinall later this year.‌But rather than keeping both eyes firmly set on Gane on the South Lawn, 'Poatan' has found himself in a verbal battle with Hokit. During the launch press conference for the White House showcase back in May, Hokit nearly came to blows with both Ilia Topuria and Pereira.‌A loud and outspoken character, Hokit was eventually removed from the stage. The undefeated American will take on veteran Derrick Lewis on the same card this weekend. While Pereira doubts a clash with Hokit will fail to come to fruition - that has not stopped the 28-year-old from shooting his shot.FOLLOW OUR FIGHTING FB PAGE! Latest boxing and MMA news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page“It’s inevitable,” Hokit said. “We’re going to fight one day. I know he knows it. And Alex Pereira and his BBL can go to Hell. I’m the lion, he’s the weak gazelle. I’m going to beat him until he swells. I’m going to put his head in the microwave that’s going to give off a pizza smell.”‌Pereira has attempted to ignore the noise, but Hokit's relentless pressure has forced him to cave in. The 38-year-old was able to ignore his rival's advances at the fighter hotel on Monday, but was recently asked about the American's challenge. The Brazilian dropped a major bombshell, questioning the controversial star's future under the UFC banner.“You know, this is nothing personal, I just wanted to make sure that I talked about this,” Pereira said via a Portuguese translator. “I don’t even like to talk about this guy. It’s more for everybody because people just keep asking the question and again, I’m just addressing the situation since you asked. I try not even to think about it or entertain anything about him because there’s no reason for it.“We can’t remove him out of the card on Sunday, he’s already in there, so he’s going to fight, but I’ve just heard a thing or two—I don’t even know if he’s going to be a part of this organisation going forward. He’s going to fight, but I don’t know, I’ve heard some things here or there, maybe not even worth talking about because I don’t even know if he’s going to be there.”Article continues belowDuring a recent episode of the Ariel Helwani Show, Pereira explained that he felt Hokit's antics crossed a line in their brief interactions. "I just got up and prepared to stay ready. Everybody knows that I'm not going to try to fight [outside of the Octagon], I'm not going to try to do anything. But I will try to defend myself, for sure," he said."He did cross the line. I already saw guys trash talk [other] fighters, trash talk the father of the fighter, trash talk whatever, but never trash talk the mother. I don't know how it is in America, but in Brazil, on the street code, you never talk about the mother. When we're kids growing up, kids are talking to each other, like fighting this and that, until we talk about the mother — and then even their friends go, 'Yo, yo, yo, he just talk about your mom.' And then that's like the last thing to happen to start a fight. But I think he did cross the line."