Ciryl Gane retained the UFC heavyweight championship with a unanimous decision victory over Josh Hokit in the main event of UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.
All three judges scored the five-round contest 48-47 in favour of Gane, who improved his professional record to 15-2 with one no-contest and secured his third win in a UFC title fight.
The bout shattered division records, with Gane landing 237 significant strikes to surpass Daniel Cormier's previous high of 181, while the combined total of 388 significant strikes set a new heavyweight benchmark.
Hokit, previously undefeated at 10-0, came out with relentless pressure from the opening bell, walking through Gane's jabs and forcing the champion into a gruelling clinch-heavy battle.
The American challenger mixed in takedowns, dirty boxing and elbows, and even scored a powerful slam before the first round ended, leaving Gane visibly exhausted through the middle rounds.
Gane's corner urged him to use the clinch to slow the pace, but the Frenchman found a second wind in the championship rounds, mixing body shots and kicks to sweep rounds four and five on all scorecards.
Both fighters were transported to a local hospital for precautionary CT scans of their heads and faces after the 25-minute war, though results had not been disclosed at the time of reporting.
In his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Gane said: "He didn't surprise me. All the people around the world underestimate him, not me. That was a tough fight. I kept going because I'm strong. I stayed focused. I go ahead, I go forward. This guy is a mother*cker; he did well."
Hokit, suffering his first professional loss, delivered a defiant message: "I will rejoice in my suffering. Suffering builds endurance. Endurance builds character, and character builds hope. You can kick me while I'm down, but I'll break your f*cking leg."
The co-main event saw Kayla Harrison retain the women's bantamweight title with a fourth-round rear-naked choke submission of Amanda Nunes.
Harrison survived an early surge from Nunes, scored two judo throws to create damaging positions, and capitalised on a scramble to lock in the choke and force the tap.
Stephen Thompson provided a fairytale ending to his 14-year career with a head-kick knockout victory earlier on the card, prompting an emotional retirement announcement.
Johnny Walker criticised Gane's defensive approach after the fight, questioning the champion's tactics as he eyes a heavyweight title shot in 2027.
The event, broadcast live on Paramount+, drew an electric New York crowd and delivered two title fights that contrasted sharply in style but both produced memorable moments.
Gane's victory secures his first defence of the undisputed heavyweight belt he captured by beating Alex Pereira for interim gold in June.
Hokit's performance, despite the loss, silenced doubters and should keep him in the title conversation alongside contenders such as Alex Pereira and Sergei Pavlovich.
UFC officials confirmed the hospital transports were standard procedure for a damage-heavy five-round fight, with both fighters undergoing evaluation as a precaution.
The promotion now looks ahead to UFC 335 in Las Vegas to close out the year, with the heavyweight division's next title challenger likely to be determined by upcoming matchups.
Brief scores: Ciryl Gane def. Josh Hokit via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) to retain UFC heavyweight title; Kayla Harrison def. Amanda Nunes via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:12 of round 4 to retain UFC women's bantamweight title.
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