Ciryl Gane’s head coach Fernand Lopez has admitted that they have a ‘huge challenge’ ahead with Josh Hokit.

This coming November 14, the premier promotion returns to Madison Square Garden for UFC 334, which is set to be headlined by a heavyweight title fight between Ciryl Gane and Josh Hokit.

Hokit has defended the fight against Alex Pereira’s criticism, after the Brazilian claimed that the promotion had been pushing an agenda, trying to make fans believe that it was the right fight to make.

Despite ‘Poatan’s’ criticism of the fight and Hokit, though, ‘Bon Gamin’s’ head coach Fernand Lopez believes ‘The Incredible Hok’ is a ‘huge challenge’.

Is Josh Hokit the most complete heavyweight fighter since Cain Velasquez?

Cain Velasquez is widely regarded as one of the most complete heavyweight fighters of all time.

Fernand Lopez compares Josh Hokit to Cain Velasquez as he admits he’s a ‘huge challenge’

Hokit has been told he must go against what earned him a title shot if he is to beat Gane in New York, with fans imploring him to utilize his wrestling skills to get the job done. Despite that, the 28-year-old is widely regarded as one of the most well-rounded heavyweight fighters of all time, alongside Tom Aspinall.

Someone else who receives credit for that is former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, who beat the likes of Brock Lesnar, Junior dos Santos and ‘Big Foot’ Silva, using his incredible cardio and gas tank. And with that, Gane’s coach, Lopez, has compared Hokit to the Mexican, stating that the UFC hasn’t had a heavyweight like ‘The Incredible Hok’ since the UFC legend.

“He’s not just another heavyweight coming forward to punch people, he’s got something. I think that besides Cain Velasquez, it’s been a long time since we had this kind of wrestler that can push you, make you guess, go for wrestling, if that’s not working, go back to striking, he’s not just relying on wrestling,” Lopez told MMAJunkie.

Although Hokit doesn’t rely on his wrestling to get him through fights, that is his major key to victory against the striker, Gane. The Frenchman’s only losses in the UFC came because of his lack of wrestling and grappling defense, with that being an area Hokit could exploit.

“He can put you out on the feet or he can put you out by submitting you… It’s well deserved for him and I think that he is a huge challenge for Ciryl. Of course he’s going to wrestle, but he’s not going to wrestle right away,” Lopez continued to give Hokit credit.