Josh Hokit yells at Alex Pereira in hotel confrontation

Josh Hokit confronted Alex Pereira in a hotel elevator this week, hurling insults at the Brazilian heavyweight as he walked through the lobby with his father and team. New video shows Hokit yelling at Pereira from the elevator, calling him a coward in footage that surfaced ahead of Sunday's UFC White House event, MMA Mania reports.

Hokit faces Derrick Lewis on the White House lawn June 14, but the middleweight has spent fight week targeting Pereira, who recently moved up to heavyweight and competes for the interim title against Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250. "Hey wassup, dog," Hokit shouted in the clip. "You're a p*ssy! That's why you don't say anything. P*ssy!"

Pereira says Hokit crossed the line with mother insults

The hotel incident follows Hokit's disruption of the White House presser in Newark, where his rant forced organizers to end the event early. Pereira told Ariel Helwani that Hokit violated an unspoken rule when he insulted the fighter's mother at a previous media appearance. "He did cross a line," Pereira said through his translator, per MMA Mania. "I already saw guys trash talk [other] fighters, trash talk the father of the fighter, trash talk whatever, but never trash talk the mother. I don't know how it is in America, but in Brazil, on the street code, you never talk about the mother."

Pereira added that he would not promote a potential matchup with Hokit despite the provocation. "Honestly, after the crap this guy has done, I'm not even going to be talking about him because other guys, I give them respect," he said. "I help them to boost so we can build a fight. I'm gonna let him do his thing. Let him do his journey. Everything has a price, the time will come."

The former light heavyweight champion said he remains professional and has no plans to initiate a confrontation, though he would defend himself if needed. Pereira previously delayed his fight with Magomed Ankalaev by six months after that opponent made things personal. With four days remaining before the UFC White House card in Washington, more run-ins between the two could happen before fight night.

Original reporting:

• mmamania.com — UFC White House video: Hokit yells at Pereira during hotel run-in | MMA Mania