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Chael Sonnen praises former NFL prospect who stole the show in UFC debut

Originally posted on HITC | By Donagh Corby | Last updated Nov 11, 2025 9:39 AM ET

Chael Sonnen has given his approval to a new UFC heavyweight who used several of his lines after winning his octagon debut.

Josh Hokit made an immediate impact by knocking out Max Gimenis inside the first minute at UFC Vegas 111, picking up a $50,000 bonus for the performance and establishing himself as a serious contender in the division.

But it was his post-fight interview that really got people talking. Hokit referenced some of Sonnen’s most iconic lines, including comments about having ‘the biggest arms’ and telling Valter Walker that he ‘absolutely sucks’.

Sonnen responds to Hokit’s tribute

Sonnen responded to Hokit’s post-fight promo on social media, posting a video where he said:

“This was so cool. This guy just got done with his fight and did one of my promos. Well done man.” he said. “And I hope you enjoyed it because there will never be another time you can do this.

“Now you’re going to go into your next fight and they’re going to make sure they play this for you all week long so you get the message: this isn’t going to work a second time, you’ve got one chance.

At 6-foot tall, Josh Hokit is on the smaller side for heavyweights – but there are still plenty of reasons to believe he could be more than just another name in the division.

Athleticism runs in the family too, with sister Megan competing as an Olympic wrestler for Team USA.

Chael Sonnen backs Josh Hokit after UFC Vegas 111 debut

Following his victory on Saturday night, Josh Hokit didn’t just let his performance do the talking. He called out ranked contender Valter Walker, using a handful of Sonnen’s most memorable lines along the way. The promo went down well with fans and seemed to get Sonnen’s attention too.

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Sonnen watched the interview and was clearly pleased with what he saw. He even noted that some of those iconic phrases weren’t entirely his own to begin with.

“He did fantastic, yes,” said Sonnen. “I, of course, got inspired by some other people but he was paying me some homage there… Oban Elliott starts reaching out to get a hold of me and he says ‘hey man, if you say this guy is in the club I’m reaching out to let him know’.

“So I’m like ‘alright, let me call Colby’. We’ve got this little Bad Guy group going on and the bottom line is everybody gave him the thumbs up. I’m on board, man.”

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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