PoliticsUFC CEO Dana White Condemns Fighter Josh Hokit's 'False and Nasty' Michelle Obama 'Man' Insult as White House Stays Silent
UFC president Dana White said he's 'completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families.'
June 16 2026, Published 11:35 a.m. ET
UFC CEO Dana White condemned fighter Josh Hokit's offensive comment about Michelle Obama.
Following the UFC Freedom 250 boxing match held on the White House's South Lawn on Sunday, June 14, the heavyweight, 28, called the former first lady, 62, a "man."
'I Hate That Kind of Nonsense'
Josh Hokit called Michelle Obama a 'man' on Sunday.
White, 56, addressed Hokit's statement in a text message sent to Time on June 15.
“I understand that the Obama’s are public figures but I’m completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families. Everyone knows my position on free speech but I hate that kind of nonsense," the businessman wrote.
Josh Hokit made his out-of-pocket comment shortly after his cage match.
After the fight, Hokit praised Donald Trump for hosting the match and then screamed into the microphone: “And lastly, Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?”
The president, 80, was sitting in the first row during the outside sports event and reportedly "half-smiled" after the remark was made.
The White House has not yet commented on the situation, and there is no word yet if Hokit will be reprimanded for his actions.
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The White House Has Not Commented on Josh Hokit's Remark
The UFC reportedly paid $60 million for the White House event.
White House communications director Steven Cheung told CNN Hokit “had a great win last night. He showed toughness and the ability to pressure his opponent both on his feet and on the ground.”
The UFC fighter's statement caused backlash across social media, including from some Trump supporters.
“The fighter yelling ‘Michelle Obama is a man,’ at an official White House event to honor America is utterly unacceptable and the administration should [denounce] it in no uncertain terms,” Fox News columnist David Marcus penned on X, adding in a follow-up post: “I’ve defended the administration’s America 250 plans, because I trusted they really would be non partisan, really would bring us together. But I was wrong. And it sucks."
The boxing event was organized to celebrate Donald Trump's 80th birthday.
Fox News' The Five co-host Jessica Tarlov also chimed in, saying on a recent episode of the show: "Josh Hokit gets up there and says Michelle Obama is a man. The White House won’t even clean it up. Everybody knows it is repulsive."
The UFC event in Washington, D.C., was put together to celebrate both Trump's 80th birthday and the 250th anniversary of American independence.
White told reporters shortly after the match concluded that he won't ever put together an epic event like this again.
"It was an amazing experience. This was a one-of-one that will never happen again," he said. "I can't afford it. There's no f----- way we could do this again. This was, I'll never do the sphere again and we'll never do this again."
UFC covered the hefty cost for the spectacle, reportedly forking over $60 million for the big night.
