Controversy at UFC Freedom 250: Senator Lindsey Graham and UFC CEO Dana White Respond to Fighter’s Comments

Senator Lindsey Graham and UFC CEO Dana White have publicly criticized UFC heavyweight Josh Hokit for his comments regarding former First Lady Michelle Obama during the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House.

Josh Hokit faced backlash after making a controversial statement in his post-fight interview following his victory over Derrick Lewis. After expressing gratitude to President Donald Trump for hosting the event, Hokit controversially stated, “Michelle Obama is a man, am I right, America?” This remark perpetuated a long-standing conspiracy theory surrounding Michelle Obama.

Senator Lindsey Graham expressed his disapproval of Hokit’s comments in an interview with TMZ, labeling them as “not good” and referring to Hokit as an “idiot.” He remarked that Hokit’s statement detracted from the event’s purpose, which was intended to celebrate America’s founding and promote sportsmanship.

“It took away from the event,” Graham said. “It was a fun event. It was to celebrate America’s founding, who we are as a nation… It was sort of a modern-day gladiators fighting hard and shaking each other’s hand and the spirit of sports. That was not the spirit of sports.”

Upon hearing Hokit’s remarks, Graham commented, “The guy was an idiot.”

In addition, UFC CEO Dana White criticized Hokit’s comments through a text message to Time magazine. White stated his stance against the propagation of false and offensive statements about public figures and their families, despite his support for free speech.

“I understand that the Obamas 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,” White commented.

This incident has sparked considerable discussion and remains a developing story, with further updates expected.