Gane vs Hokit: UFC 334 Picks, the Jon Jones Blueprint and Harrison vs Nunes

Gane vs Hokit headlines UFC 334 on Saturday, November 14, at Madison Square Garden, with the undisputed heavyweight title on the line. On paper, it’s Ciryl Gane’s first defense as the real champion.

In reality, it’s a test of whether an unbeaten former college wrestler and NFL practice-squad fullback belongs in the cage with the world’s most technical heavyweight. And the co-main event might be the bigger fight anyway.

UFC 334: What’s on the Line at Madison Square Garden

Here’s how we got here. Gane won the interim belt by stopping Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 on the White House lawn in June. About a week later, Tom Aspinall vacated the title, and Gane was named undisputed champion.

Hokit got the call after going 4-0 in the UFC in about seven months, with wins over Max Gimenis, Denzel Freeman, Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis. He’s 10-0 overall. We already argued that Alexander Volkov deserved this title shot more than Hokit, and I haven’t changed my mind. But the fight is booked, so let’s break it down.

Gane vs Hokit: The Obvious Take

Gane is the better fighter. He’s longer, he’s cleaner, and he moves like a middleweight in a heavyweight’s body. Since joining the UFC in 2019, he’s lost only to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones.

The books agree on Gane vs Hokit. Gane opened around -225 at DraftKings, with Hokit at +185, according to Yahoo Sports. A technical striker against a power puncher who’s never been past this level of competition. What do you expect?

The Jon Jones Blueprint

That’s the thing, though. Gane’s weakness isn’t a secret. At UFC 285 in March 2023, Jon Jones took him down early and choked him out with a guillotine in the first round. Gane never got going.

Hokit can wrestle. He was third in the nation as a high school senior and became an All-American at Fresno State while also playing football there. He just went three rounds with Curtis Blaydes, one of the best wrestlers the division has seen, and won the decision.

The counterpoint is simple. Hokit is not Jon Jones. Jones wasn’t a great collegiate wrestler either, but he’s a freak athlete with elite timing. Hokit is strong and tough, but timing a takedown on a moving 6-foot-4 striker is a different job.

The Eye Poke Subplot

The Gane vs Hokit build has a strange subplot. Gane’s last fight with Aspinall at UFC 321 ended in a no contest after an eye poke, and it’s followed him ever since. Hokit’s answer? He had his team pepper spray him before sparring so he’d be ready to fight half-blind.

Come on. It’s ridiculous, and it’s also perfect fight promotion. Hokit knows that the louder he is, the more people tune in. The UFC knows it too.

Gane vs Hokit Prediction

I hope Gane beats him up, and I think he will. Heavyweights can end anything with one punch, and Hokit hits hard and takes a shot. But Gane’s footwork should keep him out of the clinch early, and Hokit has never had to chase someone this slick for 15 minutes.

Our Gane vs Hokit pick: Ciryl Gane by TKO in the third round. Where could I be wrong? If Hokit gets an early takedown and Gane panics as he did against Jones, this flips fast.

And if Hokit does win, get ready. The UFC would turn the heavyweight division into a media circus and milk it dry. A loud, unbeaten champion is exactly what the promotion wants to sell.

Harrison vs Nunes: The Fight That Should Be the Main Event

Let’s not forget the co-main. Harrison vs Nunes is the biggest women’s fight the UFC can make right now, and honestly it should be headlining.

It’s complicated, though. Harrison won the title from Julianna Peña at UFC 316 in June 2025, then pulled out of the original Nunes date at UFC 324 in January after neck surgery. Nunes, 38, hasn’t fought since beating Irene Aldana at UFC 289 in June 2023 and then retired. Harrison is 36.

Harrison opened at -190 with Nunes at +161, per BoxingNews. That makes Nunes an underdog for the first time since she flattened Cris Cyborg in 51 seconds in 2018.

Our desk is split. One side says Nunes is the more accomplished MMA fighter and the greatest woman to ever do it. I lean Harrison, because she’s been active more recently and her grappling smothers people. The pick: Kayla Harrison by decision. The flaw is obvious: a surgically repaired neck against the hardest-hitting woman in the sport’s history.

Reality Check: UFC 334 Is a Gamble Stacked on a Gamble

The Reality: Both title fights at UFC 334 carry big asterisks. One challenger got the shot on hype more than resume, and the other title fight pairs a champion coming off neck surgery with a 38-year-old returning from three years away. It could be a great night at the Garden. It could also be a very expensive lesson in booking on star power.

Want more on how this division got here? Read what the UFC White House card broke for longtime fans, our UFC Freedom 250 predictions, and how the women’s bantamweight division evolved. We break down UFC, baseball and everything else every second Tuesday on Tremendous Sports Talk.

UFC 334: Frequently Asked Questions