Josh Hokit, once seen as a promising heavyweight prospect within the PFL, decided to part ways with the organization. This move came after he competed just a single time following the PFL`s merger with Bellator.
“They kind of made it easy,” Hokit explained to MMA Fighting. “Everyone`s contracts were being renegotiated. I was fighting for a bit more money, but the new contract they sent offered less. I felt it wasn`t worth it, especially since I had only fought twice in two years. I really wanted to be much more active.”
He continued, “I thought going elsewhere, even taking a pay cut, was the best decision. As long as I’m active, that’s my main priority right now.”
Hokit (4-0) has certainly increased his activity, competing as many times in 2025 for LFA as he did throughout his entire tenure with PFL and Bellator combined. The undefeated heavyweight is set for his third fight of 2025 this Friday, facing Eric Lunsford at LFA 208.
The undefeated fighter mentioned that the contract renegotiation with PFL involved a significant pay difference, but even without that, he might have chosen to leave anyway.
“It was about a $20,000 difference,” Hokit stated. “I felt it wasn`t even worth it at this stage of my career. I need more experience. I’m not sure if it was their plan, but it seemed like they were going to throw me into tough situations right away for less money. I figured I’d rather go somewhere else, gain more experience, and climb the ranks that way. I believe that was a better call for me, a better situation.”
“I think they were considering putting me in the tournament. I only had about two fights, and I questioned if that was the best move for me. So, ultimately, I decided to go elsewhere, get more experience, and work my way up.”
He added, “Initially [after the merger], it seemed like they wanted to keep me. My contract was ending within a year and a half, during which I only fought twice. The contract was naturally concluding. They made it seem like they wanted to retain me, and I even discussed the possibility of fighting in other organizations for experience while still being with PFL. They seemed okay with that. But the whole situation with PFL and the Bellator merger just turned me off.”
Hokit reflected, “I started thinking, why am I even fighting in the first place? I’m not fighting to become PFL champion. My goal is to be the UFC champion. That’s what I’m aiming for – I want to be in the UFC.”
Before his MMA career, Hokit was a standout in college football and wrestling. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2020. After two intermittent years with the 49ers, he had a brief five-day stint with the Arizona Cardinals before being waived, ending his football journey.
The 27-year-old successfully transitioned to mixed martial arts, finding considerable early success. In fact, Hokit believes his upcoming fight this Friday has a strong chance of being his final bout outside of the TKO/UFC organizational structure.
“I’ve actually already signed a contract for Dana White’s Contender Series in August,” Hokit revealed. “I’m just taking this LFA fight to get more experience because I understand how the UFC scene is now. The fighters coming in are ready for the UFC, they have experience from everywhere. They`re ready to be contenders, and that’s the perspective I’m taking.”
He commented on the heavyweight division, “Heavyweight is a bit different because there isn`t as much—how can I put it—the heavyweight division isn`t very deep. They don`t have the same level of skill as, say, the 145-pound division.”
“So, I feel confident with my skillset that I can compete with and ultimately defeat all of them, in my opinion, with my current abilities. After this fight, that will be five wins, so I don’t feel like I necessarily need many more—of course, more fights are always better—but I don`t feel compelled to take more fights than I have to. I feel prepared for the Contender Series and whatever opportunities follow.”
Murray Blackwood