Dana White Slams Fighter’s Michelle Obama Remark After UFC White House Event
Dana White has publicly distanced the UFC from Josh Hokit’s Michelle Obama comment, calling it “nasty and false” and saying he “hates that kind of nonsense.” The remark came after Hokit beat Derrick Lewis at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, where he ended his post-fight interview by saying, “Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?”
The episode quickly shifted from a fight-night side note to a political flashpoint. Widespread reporting from various news organizations says the comment drew backlash across the political spectrum, while the White House did not issue a direct condemnation when asked about it.
Dana White Takes a Hard Line After Josh Hokit’s Michelle Obama Comment
White’s comments were delivered in a text message to Time, where he said, “I understand that the Obama’s 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.” He did not say whether Hokit would face discipline.
White has usually kept a wide berth from fighter comments after the bout, especially when they drift into politics or personal attacks. Here, he made a clean break from the remark rather than trying to soften it or fold it into the UFC’s usual “anything can happen” posture.
Hokit’s comments came after a second-round knockout win over Derrick Lewis on the White House South Lawn, which was part of UFC Freedom 250. The bout ended with Hokit stopping Lewis in round two, and the White House event featured seven fights on the card.
The setting gave the moment a bigger audience than a standard post-fight interview. CNN reported that President Donald Trump was seen smiling briefly after the comment, while some noted that some in the crowd laughed and others booed.
The backlash was not limited to UFC or MMA circles. News sites reported criticism from political figures, media personalities and even some Trump allies, including Barstool founder Dave Portnoy, who said the comment should have been denounced immediately.
Shannon Sharpe also criticized the remark on Nightcap, while Fox News columnist David Marcus called it unacceptable. The Guardian and CNN both noted that the White House response, through communications director Steven Cheung, focused on Hokit’s performance rather than the insult itself.
Several outlets pointed out that the comment landed differently because it was made at the White House during a politically charged event tied to America’s 250th anniversary. Others reported that Donald Trump had previously shared a racist video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes before deleting it, which helped explain why this new insult drew immediate attention and was framed by critics as part of a longer pattern.
Hokit has also built a reputation as a strange, attention-seeking figure who seems determined to push buttons whenever he gets a microphone. His Michelle Obama comment was not an isolated case, either, he has made similar remarks about Brittney Griner in the past.
For the UFC, White’s statement is the clearest signal so far that the company does not want the remark attached to its brand. But the promotion has not said whether Hokit will be fined, suspended or warned, and that silence leaves the next step unclear.
