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UFC 334: Gane vs Hokit Predictions

Unfiltered and undefeated American brawler Josh Hokit challenges French phenom Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight championship of the world in the main event of UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night (Sunday morning SA time), writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.

The co-headliner is the biggest fight in women’s mixed martial arts history as Kayla Harrison defends the bantamweight title against returning legend Amanda Nunes.

The main card also includes a middleweight matchup between Caio Borralho and Yousri Belgaroui, a welterweight clash between Uros Medic and Kevin Holland, and a flyweight fight between the unbeaten Bilal Hasan and Luis Gurule.

MAIN CARD:

Sunday, November 15, 4 AM SAST

Ciryl Gane (1.53) vs Josh Hokit (2.53) (Heavyweight Championship)

Both of this weekend’s main eventers are one-of-a-kind heavyweights.

Gane is a Universal Soldier come to life. Seemingly carved from granite, the muscle-bound Frenchman is a freak athlete with the power and strength of a heavyweight and the speed and agility of a middleweight.

“Bon Gamin” claimed the interim title with a knockout victory over Alex Pereira on the White House lawn earlier this year before being elevated to undisputed champion after Tom Aspinall was forced to vacate the title due to ongoing eye issues stemming from his previous no-contest against Gane.

Now, the first-ever French UFC champion – whose record stands at 14-2 with seven knockouts and three submissions – must defend his throne against a contender who brings a whole different kind of chaos.

The heavyweight division’s fastest-rising and perhaps most controversial contender, Hokit is a walking circus on the microphone, unleashing a collection of outrageous, cringe-inducing, WWE-style characters every time he grabs the mic.

He’s even dropped a music video ahead of this weekend’s title tilt, dissing the likes of Gane, Pereira, Aspinall, Jon Jones and others. But make no mistake about it: behind all the theatrics is a seriously dangerous fighter.

Undefeated at 10-0 with six knockouts and three submissions, Hokit has proven himself as a legitimate force. He battled Curtis Blaydes in one of the greatest heavyweight fights in UFC history in April, securing a decision victory, before making light work of former two-time title challenger Derrick Lewis at the White House two months later.

Now, “The Incredible Hok” is ready to bring his trademark madness, relentless aggression and wrestling to the biggest stage of his career. Gane has the championship pedigree. Hokit has the momentum, the confidence and the firepower to blow the division wide open.

When the cage door slams shut inside the World’s Most Famous Arena, there is no room for characters or theatre, only guts and violence for heavyweight glory.

Normally, a coach would tell a fighter to stick to what brought them to the dance. But in Hokit’s case, that’s ill-advised. As epically entertaining as his win over Blaydes was, engaging in a slugfest with Gane – who is incredibly light on his feet and super sophisticated with his striking – would be a bad idea.

He’s already talked and fought (in a fan-friendly style) his way into a title fight – now it’s time to incorporate his high-level wrestling. That said, grabbing hold of the fleet-footed Gane is no easy feat.

While this fight doesn’t have the blockbuster appeal of some of the iconic heavyweight title fights of the past at Madison Square Garden, like the first meeting between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier or, in mixed martial arts terms, Jones vs Stipe Miocic, it will be entertaining.

Hokit won’t die wondering in his pursuit to become the first American heavyweight champion since Jones, but Gane’s striking and movement are just too polished and should see the Frenchman hold onto the gold. 

Prediction: Gane by TKO.

Best Bet: Gane by KO/TKO/DQ at 2.52.

Alternative Bet: Gane at 1.53.

Kayla Harrison (1.55) vs Amanda Nunes (2.47) (Bantamweight Championship)

The co-main event is a clash of titans unlike any other.

It’s the best against the greatest in the biggest fight in women’s mixed martial arts history. It’s the reigning bantamweight queen, Harrison (19-1), against the greatest female fighter of all time, Nunes (23-5).

They are each other’s driving force. Harrison has admitted that she would not have battled through neck surgery, which postponed the dream match from January to this weekend, to fight anyone but Nunes.

Similarly, the American juggernaut is the only challenge big enough for Nunes to come out of retirement. Former teammates at American Top Team, they were destined to duel, and it will finally happen at the World’s Most Famous arena.   

A freak of nature, Harrison is a powerhouse with one of the most impressive pedigrees in combat sports history.

She’s a two-time Olympic gold medal-winning judoka, a two-time PFL champion, and needed just three fights to become UFC champion, seizing the throne by forcing Julianna Pena to tap out last June.

A one-of-a-kind mauler, her strength and technique are on another level. She has six knockouts, mostly from brutal ground-and-pound, and eight submissions to her name.

Universally regarded as the GOAT, Nunes went out on top after beating Irene Aldana. The only woman in history to hold two titles simultaneously, the former featherweight and bantamweight champion was the pound-for-pound queen for years but felt burnt out.

Now rested and fuelled by the thrill of the hunt, “The Lioness” is back to reclaim the title and prove she’s still the absolute best. A destructive force on the feet (13 knockouts) and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt (four submissions), she’s as well-rounded as they come.

Both women are coming off long layoffs, and that Harrison is back so soon after having had five herniated discs in her neck is a win in its own right. I don’t care if Nunes has been out of action for three years or 10 – when you get her at plus money, you have to jump at it.

The Brazilian hasn’t been the underdog since her superfight with countrywoman Cris Cyborg in 2018, which she won by knockout in just 51 seconds. She has the strength and defensive skills to weather the early rounds and take Harrison into deep waters.

Harrison has only gone five full rounds once, and it resulted in her lone loss to Larissa Pacheco in the PFL in 2022. All told, I’m backing Nunes to make a triumphant comeback.

Prediction: I can see Nunes getting a late stoppage over a fatigued Harrison or winning on the scorecards. I’m happy backing her outright, though.  

Best Bet: Nunes at 2.47.

Alternative Bets: Nunes by KO/TKO/DQ at 4.15 or by decision at 6.00.

Caio Borralho (1.60) vs Yousri Belgaroui (2.35) (Middleweight)

One of the top dogs at middleweight takes on one of the dark horses of the division in the featured bout.

Fifth-ranked Borralho (18-2) was on a 16-fight winless streak, including seven straight victories in the UFC before he finally met his match in Nassourdine Imavov, who’s expected to challenge Sean Strickland for the title next.

“The Natural” bounced back in style, outclassing Reinier de Ridder in March, and called out former champion Dricus du Plessis. The fighting pride of South Africa had bigger fish to fry, battering the legendary Kamaru Usman to put himself right back in the title picture, and a seeming inability to land a fight against another top-10 contender sees Borralho risking his ranking against a towering threat from Tunisia.   

A tall and rangy kickboxer, Belgaroui (11-3) has strung together a six-fight win streak, and has won all four of his bouts inside the Octagon by knockout. With nine KOs overall, “The Boogeyman” is a dangerous opponent, even for the likes of Borralho, and at 6’6″, he’ll have a five-inch height and four-inch reach advantage.

Borralho is a big step up in competition for Belgaroui. He’s never been knocked out because he’s extremely technically sound, and that’s unlikely to change in New York City.

Prediction: Borralho by decision.

Best Bet: Borralho by decision at 2.20.

Alternative Bet: Borralho at 1.60.

Uros Medic (1.67) vs Kevin Holland (2.22) (Welterweight)

Violence.

That’s what you can expect from this mouth-watering welterweight fight.

Not one to work by the hour, Medic’s last five wins all materialised in the first round, and he has never been to the scorecards in his 17-fight career.

Known as “The Doctor”, his record stands at 14-3, and his 100% finish rate consists of 12 knockouts and two submissions, while he’s been KO’d once and tapped out twice. 

Holland (29-14) is a fighter’s fighter, down for a scrap against anyone at middleweight or welterweight. He’s an entertainer, a showman, and one of the funnest fighters in the world to watch due to his all-action style, killer instinct and habit of talking to his foe mid-fight. 

Ranked three spots below his opponent in 12th, “Trailblazer” is equally good on the feet and on the ground. His well-roundedness and aggression have earned him 14 knockouts and nine submissions, with Anthony Hernandez, Joaquin Buckley and the legendary Jacare Souza among the men he’s finished.

He snapped a two-fight skid with a decision win over Randy Brown last time out and will have a massive 10-inch reach advantage. Even so, though, the streaking Medic should have his number.  

Prediction: Medic by knockout.

Best Bet: Medic by KO/TKO/DQ at 2.04.

Alternative Bet: Medic at 1.67.

Bilal Hasan (1.10) vs Luis Gurule (7.25) (Flyweight)

Speaking of showmen, the UFC’s latest violent artist will be in action in the main card opener.

Unbeaten Hasan (10-0-1 NC) had one of the best debuts in UFC history in August, starting with a Michael Jackson-inspired entrance on what would have been Jackson’s 68th birthday, followed by a thrilling performance complete with a one-punch knockout over Nilson Rojas and a moonwalk celebration.

A natural-born killer, the 25-year-old “IndoNinja” has won nine straight (all stoppages) since his second pro appearance was halted in seven seconds and deemed a no contest.

As a fighter who has won just one of his five UFC fights, Gurule (11-4) has been set up to fail in this one. As the biggest underdog on the main show by a mile, “Grim” is in for exactly that – a grim time inside the Octagon.

Prediction: Hasan by knockout.

Best Bet: Under 1.5 rounds at 1.53.

Note: Odds are subject to change.

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Quintin van Jaarsveld is a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and a former three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. Formerly the sports editor and Outstanding Journalist of the Year award winner at The Fever Media Group, deputy editor at eHowzit, editor at SARugby.com and senior staff writer at Rugby365.com, he boasts over 20 years of experience.

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