It's time for another betting prediction and pick for UFC Vegas 111 as we take a look at this next Prelim bout in the Heavyweight Division. UFC newcomers will make their debuts as USA's Josh Hokit takes on Max Gimenis of Brazil. Check our UFC odds series for the Hokit-Gimenis prediction and pick.
Josh Hokit (6-0) will make his UFC debut following a win on Dana White's Contender Series. A flurry of elbows in the second round resulting in a TKO is what earned him a contract and he comes into his first fight as the heavy betting favorite expecting another quick finish. Hokit stands 6-foot-1 with a 73.5-inch reach.
Max Gimenis (6-1) makes his UFC debut after two recent wins within the Shogun Fights promotion out of Maryland. He's won his last two fights via knockout in the first round, making for a very willing opponent in what should be a fun fight for as long as it lasts. Gimenis stands six feet tall with a 69-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Vegas 111 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Vegas 111 Odds: Josh Hokit-Max Gimenis Odds
Josh Hokit: -425
Max Gimenis: +330
Over 1.5 rounds: +120
Under 1.5 rounds: -154
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Why Josh Hokit Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Guilherme Uriel – TKO (elbows, R2)
- Last 5: 5-0
- Finishes: 3 KO/TKO, 3 SUB
Josh Hokit will be making his promotional debut following a successful DWCS audition where he put his opponent away in short order. All but two of his six professional fights have ended inside the first round as he's 6/6 on finishes, making quick work of opponents up to this point. He has an extensive wrestling background through most of his life and has made a seamless transition to MMA over the last few years.
As he continues to evolve as a striker, Hokit is very defensively sound and typically waits for opponents to make the first move. He's reactionary with his punches and does his worst damage when counter-striking on overly committed opponents. He stick his lead jab out front to gauge the range, but Hokit is really just powering up his right hand in hopes of landing the overhand and hurting his opponent.
While Hokit will be facing a dangerous jiu jitsu practitioner in Gimenis, his best path to success will be implementing his wrestling and control on the ground. Hokit is very active in taking the back and landing punches from there, so he could exploit an overly-eager Gimenis on the ground looking to grapple.
Why Max Gimenis Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Diego Peclat – TKO (punches, R1)
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: 4 KO/TKO, 1 SUB
While Max Gimenis is rather new to the pro MMA circuit, he's no stranger to competing at the highest levels of submission grappling. He's a multiple-time world BJJ champion and competed in regular grappling exhibitions as early as 2024. However, of his six professional wins, just his first came by way of submission with four first-round knockouts already under his belt.
Gimenis fights with a similar style to Hokit in constantly prepping to land a knockout shot. He's not fluid with his movement and will aimlessly walk his opponent down at times, but there's no denying the threat of his grappling is undeniable. It will be interesting to see which fighter shoots for a takedown early on in this one as both are equally capable in controlling things on the ground.
For Gimenis, he'll have to avoid the baiting from Hokit in getting him to over-extend in the striking. He should be able to hold his own along the fence and avoid getting put on his back in open space, but he'll also have to avoid settling on fighting from his back in this particular situation.
Final Josh Hokit-Max Gimenis Prediction & Pick
Both fighters are extremely capable forces on the ground, but throughout their relatively short MMA careers, we've seen both men gravitate towards fighting on the feet and trying their hand in the striking. Hokit has shown a cleaner, more technical striking skill set, but neither fighter feels totally within their realm on the feet.
Instead, we could see the superior grapplers test their skills against one another. Josh Hokit is much more straightforward with his wrestling and ground-and-pound techniques, while Max Gimenis will be searching to grab a leg or arm in hopes of tapping his opponent out.
Overall, I think Josh Hokit has the more rounded MMA skill set up to this point and should be able to deal with the submission threats of Gimenis if he avoids putting himself in bad spots. For our final prediction, let's roll with the betting favorite to get the win in this fight. However, with how tough both fighters have proved to be, we'll take a slight chance on the total over with the plus money.
Final Josh Hokit-Max Gimenis Prediction & Pick: Josh Hokit (-425); OVER 1.5 Rounds (+120)
