Ciryl Gane edged a razor-thin decision to defend his heavyweight title against Josh Hokit at UFC 334.After five rounds at the top of the Madison Square Garden card, all three judges scored the contest 48-47 in favour of Gane, the first-ever French-born UFC champion.Hokit set an insane pace from the opening exchange and kept it going into the championship roundsGettyBoth men traded heavy leather in the one-of-a-kind heavyweight title fightGettyHokit dragged Gane into a dogfight from the first bell, and the champion was forced to stand and bang with the American for most of the heavyweight classic in New York.Incredibly, the slugfest continued right through the championship rounds, as Hokit pushed a frantic pace and relentlessly pursued the champion round after round.In fact, the main event set a new record for the most combined significant strikes ever in a UFC heavyweight fight.Gane, however, showed his championship qualities in the later rounds, recovering from multiple scares early on to work his way back in favour on the judges’ scorecards.View Tweet: https://x.com/hashtag/UFC334?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwGane can now look ahead to a rematch with his most likely next opponent, Tom Aspinall.He only became undisputed king because Aspinall vacated the heavyweight title due to complications with his recovery from injuries he sustained when fighting Gane.Aspinall has been out ever since the pair’s clash at UFC 321 in October 2025, undergoing multiple eye surgeries to make sure he can fight again.Gane also controversially eye-poked Hokit in the first round of their fight at UFC 334, but referee Marc Goddard missed it, meaning no points were taken away from the champion.Gane and Hokit speak after UFC 334 warSpeaking after his win, Gane said he expected Hokit to come at him like he did and wasn’t surprised at all.“People underestimated him, but not me; it was a tough fight,” Gane told Joe Rogan.Gane has now made one undisputed title defence since he became the new king at heavyweight when Aspinall vacatedGetty“This guy is a motherf*****. He did very well… I kept going, because I’m strong.”Hokit added: “I will rejoice in my suffering.“Suffering builds endurance, endurance builds character, and character builds hope.“I will never lose hope. I will be champion one day. You guys can kick me when you’re down; I’ll still break your f***ing leg.”This is a developing story and is being updated.For the latest updates, breaking news alerts, and comprehensive analysis, refresh this page or follow our real-time news coverage by watching and listening to talkSPORT live.For broader context, explore related coverage on our homepage for the top trending stories. For the latest talkSPORT videos, download the app.talkSPORT cares about getting it right, not just getting it first and because this is a developing situation, details will change. We will be updating this page constantly with verified info, expert takes, and official statements.Stay tuned for further developments as this story continues to break. UFC ScheduleThere are still several blockbuster shows and exciting contests for fight fans to look forward to in 2026, and you can find the full list of all confirmed events and official bouts as part of talkSPORT.com’s UFC schedule.The UFC, on average, puts on 13 to 14 premium events in a calendar year, with up to 30 smaller ‘Fight Night’ cards allowing prospects and less experienced fighters to showcase their talents.On January 1, 2026, Dana White’s promotion signed a seven-year broadcast deal with CBS and Paramount+ for exclusive rights in the US, meaning the UFC has put on shows like never before this year.With the historic first event in the new Paramount era, UFC 324, delivering huge success, and a one-of-a-kind fight card at the White House in June opening up the UFC to a new audience, the promotion remains a premium global sports brand, and fans are eager to keep track of results and upcoming fights.