Ciryl Gane wouldn’t be happy with Josh Hokit getting the next title shot if he was also in the mix.

Last month, Dana White seemingly didn’t recognize Alexander Volkov when the heavyweight contender asked him what he needs to do to earn a heavyweight title shot.

The Russian has put together three consecutive wins over top names but doesn’t seem to be much closer to fighting for the belt, with Volkov moving on from this pursuit.

In a recent interview, the last man to beat ‘Drago’ spoke about how controversial that result was and whether he believes his upcoming matchup was the right one to make.

Who leaves UFC 334 as the heavyweight champion? 👑

Ciryl Gane can see both sides to Josh Hokit getting the next heavyweight title shot

Alexander Volkov hopes that Josh Hokit beats Ciryl Gane in their upcoming heavyweight title fight at Madison Square Garden.

‘Bon Gamin’ was recently asked whether he believes his upcoming challenger is deserving of this opportunity over more established contenders like ‘Drago’.

Gane explained that he can see both sides of this argument, with Hokit’s impressive wins, personality, and activity allowing him to rapidly rise to the top of the division.

However, the defending champion also made the case that he would feel differently if he was one of the fighters being passed over in favor of ‘The Incredible Hok’.

“If I put myself in the shoes of the guys in the top five, I wouldn’t be happy,” Gane told RMC Sport Combat. “Naturally, I wouldn’t be happy. I’d be thinking, ‘How’s this possible?’ I’ve been here for a while, I’ve earned my spot.

“You see the first Volkov fight I won, the second fight was super close, borderline controversial, practically a draw. I still deserve my shot to go there, you know? I understand the frustration and the desire to talk on social media. To defend yourself. But, you have to understand the game.”

Gane went on to say that while he’s received a lot of big opportunities despite his career setbacks, he always tries to bounce back “convincingly” in order to give himself more negotiating power with the UFC.

“Without that, you can’t negotiate. If you have lackluster fights, kind of whatever, you need a great, pristine record or have lost to guys like that. It’s all pawns. That’s how it is.”

Alexander Volkov hasn’t benefitted from receiving Dana White’s backing

Dana White said Alexander Volkov “couldn’t be in a better position” when speaking to the media before the Russian’s most recent heavyweight win.

The heavyweight division would be in a very different place had ‘Drago’ come out on the right side of a split decision loss that he suffered to Ciryl Gane in 2024.

Volkov is in a good position, but considering that White went out of his way to tell the fighter that he got “f—– by the judges” in this defeat, it doesn’t feel like this has been rectified in any meaningful way.

It’s very hard to argue that Josh Hokit doesn’t deserve a title shot considering how entertaining and successful he has been since arriving in the UFC.

He’s quickly become one of the most talked about fighters on the roster and as a result, this month’s heavyweight title fight has gathered a lot more interest than if Volkov was in this spot.

There’s an argument that Volkov is the most deserving of anyone, but as Gane said in the interview, “you have to understand the game” and that means more than just winning.