Titus O’Neil rebukes UFC fighter's offensive comments during event

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I’ve been what I suppose you would call a “casual fan” of combat sports without predetermined outcomes for most of my life. I’m old enough to have seen the last days of boxing’s mainstream relevance, and to get into MMA before UFC started to monopolize the sport. And then there’s my job. As a pro wrestling blogger I’m on the same team with SBNation’s MMA and boxing bloggers, and we’ve had more reasons to share information since WWE joined UFC under the TKO umbrella and Nick Khan and Dana White set their sights on boxing. All of which is to say that I didn’t sit down to watch Sunday night’s UFC Freedom 250 unfamiliar with or opposed to the sport that was ostensibly the center piece of the event from the White House. I won’t pretend I didn’t have preconceived notions, and I did leave the five hour* experience pretty shaken by the celebration of might-makes-right conducted for President Donald Trump, his ultra-rich friends and associates, and tens of thousands of fired up Trump supporters in and out of uniform, almost uniformly male and predominantly white. To my eyes, the MMA on display was good — sometimes really good — with one exception. The lone dud fight on the main card was also followed by one of the more disturbing moments of the whole affair. UFC fan (and alleged Trump) favorite heavyweight Derrick Lewis proved to be well and truly washed, failing to do much of anything against a relative newcomer named Josh Hokit. Hokit is one of a growing number of UFC acts who say offensive things under the pretense of playing a character or just “selling the fight”. Hokit’s “gimmick” is to steal Hulk Hogan’s, right down to Hogan’s late era work as a conspiracy theory-spewing Trump mouthpiece. That’s how he chose to close out his post-fight remarks to Joe Rogan in the Octagon after knocking Lewis out. You almost certainly know what he said, even if you’re lucky enough to not have heard it from Hokit’s Trump ass-kissing lips and attention-seeking face. He went with one of the right’s favorite conspiracy theories/sexual fantasies, which rolls up their obsession with the Obamas and fear of/attraction to Black and transsexual women into one allegation… that former First Lady Michelle Obama is secretly male. “Michelle Obama is a man” shouted on the White House lawn in a ring sponsored by Bud Light only available on Larry Ellison’s Paramount Plus. What a way to celebrate America 250 and the twilight of liberal democracy. pic.twitter.com/MCTjdB3slg — Tim Miller (@Timodc) June 15, 2026 UFC’s done a fair job scrubbing clips of it, and the organization’s president, friend-of-Trump, and “free speech advocate**” White did denounce it to Time as “nasty and false”. Rogan, one of the long-time faces of UFC, is all smiles throughout and after Hokit’s lie, though. He’ll probably tell us it’s just because he loves free speech so much, but that will only work on those who still buy his “just asking questions” schtick (which is admittedly millions and millions of people). Trump and his administration similarly had nothing to say in defense of Melania Trump’s first predecessor. Asked by CNN’s Jake Tapper for comment on Hokit’s insult, the White House only offered praise for the fighter himself: White House communications director Steven Cheung said the UFC fighter “had a great win last night. He showed toughness and the ability to pressure his opponent both on his feet and on the ground.” We don’t know what any of the WWE folks in attendance like CCO Triple H or World Heavyweight champion Roman Reigns would say, because TKO’s made it so no one can get access to them unless they’ll ask questions in kayfabe. But Thaddeus Bullard, aka WWE Global Ambassador Titus O’Neil, spoke up on Instagram: No matter How long it’s been since @michelleobama and @barackobama left the White House it’s clear as day that they did enough while in office to keep their names relevant for those that have the behavior pattern of a 4/5 year child. This is definitely not a political post. It’s more about being a decent human being and while I may not agree with everything that all politicians, including the Obama’s allowed, I can’t deny the fact that they held the positions with Grace and class and still remain the classy people that they showed the world that they could be while in office and while they serve as civilians. I can’t pin this type of behavior on one person, but what I can pin this type of behavior on is an entitled & privileged mindset that some people can say and do whatever they want to certain people and not have consequences because in America, they never have consequences. Let’s be better people. Let’s be better human beings. You wanna make the country great again start doing shit for this country That is actually great for everyone!!!that goes for what you do locally in your community throughout your states and throughout this country. This country definitely is a beautiful place when we allow it to be for everyone. Hatred, bigotry and racism have never been things that unite us. DECENCY, Love of fellow human beings and Good life choices should be the barometer to start. If you think about the history of this country that somehow someway is trying to be erased in some areas and arenas think about the fact that we would not have had to have a civil rights movement or women’s rights movement or lesbian, gay rights movement or any other movement if we truly were operating as one nation under God. God is LOVE no matter what your religious beliefs are. Whatever God you serve should lead you to be a better human being!! Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, Thaddeus M. Bullard. P.S. MICHELLE OBAMA IS A FIRST CLASS HUMAN BEING in my eyes and my experiences with her❤️❤️ I Love you and I appreciate you @michelleobama View this post on Instagram O’Neil’s had a fascinating life and career. He may not always get it right, but he’s not afraid to speak up when he believes it’s called for. Most people probably don’t even know that Titus is still with WWE; he hasn’t wrestled since 2020. But even so, I’m glad he said something from here — even if just so someone from WWE did. * For a few hours, I was able to split-screen with Game 6 of the NHL’s Stanley Cup Finals, which were less Trump-y this year with the Tkachuk brothers busy in Washington, D.C. ** This is a frequent refrain from Dana and others on the right. Here’s hoping the UFC’s Colin Kaepernick will be along soon to test their love of free speech.