Hokit arrives 10-0 at Madison Square Garden, but Gane holds the title

Josh Hokit is 10-0 and 4-0 in the UFC, with six of his wins by knockout, and he gets a heavyweight title shot against Ciryl Gane in Saturday's UFC 334 main event at Madison Square Garden. The forecast still leans toward Hokit not being declared the winner. The main reason is the champion's standing. Gane is 14-2 with one no contest, and he is the first French-born champion in UFC history. This is his first full title defense. Reports describe him as the pre-fight favourite, and one report calls Hokit the underdog, only the second time he has been viewed that way. Gane also says he is not taking his challenger lightly. In comments published on 9 November, he called Hokit smart and said the clowning is partly an act. That is Gane's own account, so treat it as his view. A fast finish would test the lean. The supplied reporting gives no detailed breakdown of styles, so the lean rests on the two records and the champion's status. The thing to watch is whether Hokit's knockout power can land early, before Gane settles into the fight.