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?"
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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.
