Reddit founder condemns UFC Heavyweight’s Michelle Obama Remark after White House Event
Reddit Founder Alexis Ohanian has weighed in on the controversy around UFC heavyweight Josh Hokit, who insulted former First Lady Michelle Obama during a post-fight interview at the UFC card held on the South Lawn of the White House. In a post on X, Ohanian said the remark was “vile and inappropriate” and added that he had attended the event as a guest of TKO/IMG leadership because he owns “5 pro sports teams + a league.”
Reddit founder responds after UFC heavyweight insults Michelle Obama
Ohanian also said he was already on his way home when Hokit made the comment, a point he appeared to raise because his presence at the event had drawn scrutiny online. He added that he was “glad to see Dana condemn them,” referring to UFC CEO Dana White’s response after the clip spread.
The original incident happened after Hokit won his fight against Derrick Lewis on Sunday night. During his in-ring interview, Hokit first praised President Donald Trump, gave him a chain, called out Alex Pereira, and then said, “Michelle Obama is a man” before asking, “Am I right, America?” which received a mix of boos and indifference.
Dana White moved quickly to distance the promotion from the remark. In a text message to Time, White said he understood the Obamas are public figures but was “completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families” and added, “Everyone knows my position on free speech but I hate that kind of nonsense.”
Ohanian tried to place his own reaction in a longer personal history, writing that he resigned from Reddit, the company he co-founded, in protest to push it to curb hate and violent communities on the platform. That part of his statement was clearly aimed at critics who argued that silence, or attendance alone, made his position unclear.
Hokit has not issued a direct apology to Michelle Obama. Instead, he posted on Instagram the next day that he was “not here to be liked,” “not here to be a role model,” and would do “whatever it takes” to succeed, a message that did not walk back the statement.
The episode gained more attention because it did not happen in a standard arena setting, as it happened at a White House-hosted event celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.
The comment was not an isolated incident. In January, the UFC heavyweight drew criticism after a post-fight interview at UFC 324 in which he also targeted WNBA star Brittney Griner with a similar insult.
Alexis Ohanian is the Reddit founder and longtime tech entrepreneur who helped build the social media company into one of the most influential platforms on the internet before later stepping away from its board in 2020. He is also widely known in sports and business circles through his investments in women’s sports, and his profile draws added public attention because he is married to Serena Williams, one of the most famous athletes of her era.
