UFC heavyweight fighter Josh Hokit sparked backlash after shouting offensive remarks about former first lady Michelle Obama during a recent UFC event held on the White House lawn.
As reported by The Guardian, Hokit shouted into the microphone, "Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?"
during the event, drawing mixed reactions from the quiet crowd.
CNN reported that "in a brief moment captured on camera, Donald Trump … appeared to show a half-smile seconds after the false remark, which has previously circulated online."
Hokit later attempted to defend his outburst during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, claiming he intended the statement as a compliment regarding her ability to handle adversity.
"Michelle Obama being a man, that’s like, uh, she knows how to deal with adversity, know, she knows how to work hard like a man.
You know, when the times get tough, you know, the tough keep going," Hokit stated.
When questioned further by Helwani on why he brought up the former first lady, Hokit shifted the conversation to defend his actions under the premise of free speech.
"I thought it was a perfect opportunity to, you know, show the world how great this country is with the freedom of speech.
You know you go somewhere [else in the world], and you say something like that, and you die," Hokit said.
Hokit added that "there’s a certain side that pokes at another side, and there’s no outrage there, and so I thought it was a perfect time to take a jab" before noting he does not regret his words.
The incident has drawn attention to the mainstreaming of misogyny and racism, particularly as the president has not issued a denunciation of the comments.
UFC CEO Dana White, a close ally of Trump, openly criticized Hokit's remarks during an interview with Time, distancing the organization from the fighter's commentary.
"I understand that the Obamas are public figures, but I’m completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families," White said.
White added, "Everyone knows my position on free speech, but I hate this kind of nonsense."
The targeting of high-profile Black women with masculine stereotypes remains a persistent issue, with figures like Serena Williams and Brittney Griner facing similar online conspiracy theories.
Recently, Wicked actor Cynthia Erivo spoke to Variety about how the internet bastardized her humanity by framing her as a bodyguard for co-star Ariana Grande.
"I think that we haven’t really come to terms with the insidious nature of how we view Black women," Erivo told Variety.
Erivo further noted, "[T]here was this assumption that I was bigger than my co-star and so I had to be controlling or protecting, and that was my role.
I would hazard a guess that it would not have been the same had it been the other way around."
