MMA
UFC 334: Gane v Hokit Predictions & Tips: Gane to Retain
Ciryl Gane is the pick to retain his heavyweight title when he faces Josh Hokit in the UFC 334 main event. The champion is 1/2 with William Hill, while Hokit is 8/5 as he attempts to turn his rapid rise through the division into championship success.
Gane’s experience against elite opposition gives him the edge, but Hokit’s finishing record makes this a dangerous assignment. The challenger has won all four of his UFC appearances, with three of those victories coming by TKO.
Prediction
Gane’s championship experience and stronger opposition history should prove decisive. Hokit has earned the opportunity, but the champion is better placed to manage the occasion and take advantage as the challenger commits forward.
Our prediction is Gane to win by KO/TKO after negotiating the early danger. The main selection is the straight victory at 1/2, which also covers a decision or submission win rather than relying on one method.
Fight details
UFC 334 takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday 14 November. The main card is scheduled to begin at 9pm ET, which is 2am GMT on Sunday 15 November for UK viewers. The heavyweight title fight will take place later in the broadcast, depending on the duration of the preceding bouts.
Gane and Hokit headline a card that also includes Kayla Harrison against Amanda Nunes, Caio Borralho against Yousri Belgaroui and Uroš Medić against Kevin Holland.
Ciryl Gane – 1/2
Gane brings a substantial advantage in championship experience. His only professional defeats have come against Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones in UFC title fights, while his victories include a knockout of Derrick Lewis to claim the interim heavyweight championship in 2021. He captured another interim title by knocking out Alex Pereira in June.
That experience matters against an opponent taking a significant step up in competition. Hokit has made an excellent start to his UFC career, but Gane has already faced the pressure of major heavyweight championship occasions.
The champion’s best approach is to make the challenger work for every exchange. Our expectation is that Gane will look to establish distance, avoid getting drawn into an uncontrolled early battle and force Hokit to make adjustments as the fight develops.
At 1/2, Gane is the preferred match-winner selection. The price is short enough to demand respect for the challenger’s threat, but his stronger record against top-level opposition provides the clearest reason to support him.
Josh Hokit – 8/5
Hokit has moved quickly from prospect to title challenger. He earned his UFC contract with a knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series in August 2025 and has since added four Octagon victories. His most recent success was a TKO of Derrick Lewis in June.
The 28-year-old arrives with momentum and the confidence that comes from repeatedly finding finishes. However, facing Gane represents a different examination from anything he has encountered during his short UFC career.
Hokit’s route to an upset is to prevent the champion from settling into a comfortable rhythm. He needs to make his pressure productive rather than simply chase exchanges, while remaining alert to opportunities to land a decisive shot.
At 8/5, he is a credible underdog rather than a speculative long shot. Nevertheless, the unanswered questions about how he handles this level of opponent keep him behind Gane in our prediction.
Odds and price boosts are correct as supplied and subject to change.
