Escalators and Icy Stares: Inside the Strange Hotel Beef Between Alex Pereira and Josh Hokit

While most fighters save their energy for the actual cage, Josh Hokit and Alex Pereira seem perfectly fine building their rivalry in a hotel lobby.

Right before the big UFC event in Washington, D.C., the two heavyweights ran into each other near the elevators. Hokit immediately tried to start a fight, yelling trash talk straight at the former two-division champion. True to form, the stoic Brazilian kept his ultimate poker face. Pereira didn't even slow down; he just walked right past the prospect like he wasn't even there. Hokit was left shouting his insults while literally riding an escalator away from the scene.

This hotel standoff is just the latest chapter in a psychological game they've been playing since April. Hokit has been trying to get under the veteran's skin for months. While Pereira is famous for ignoring everyone, Hokit’s persistence actually worked during a recent pre-fight press conference, sparking a rare, intense reaction. Pereira later admitted to reporters that he had never seen anyone act quite like Hokit before.

As it stands, both men have huge tests ahead of them this weekend. Pereira is fighting Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title, while the undefeated Hokit faces a massive test against knockout artist Derrick Lewis. But with undisputed champion Tom Aspinall out with serious eye injuries, the division is wide open. If both guys win their fights, this weird hotel drama could easily turn into a massive main event.