UFC Vegas 31 victor Islam Makhachev tells Dan Hooker to ‘win something’.
Islam Makhachev passed his first test as a UFC main eventer with flying colours last weekend. At UFC Vegas 31 he confidently dispatched of Thiago Moises with a fourth round submission.
Immediately after the match Makhachev called for a fight with an established name in the UFC’s lightweight division. Included in his call outs were former champion Rafael dos Anjos, former challenger Michael Chandler and long-time Team Khabib rival Tony Ferguson. Makhachev’s manager also called for a ‘dream fight’ with Conor McGregor.
Though he impressed many with his dominant performance against Moises, at least one person who was not thrilled with the bout (or comparisons between Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
In a recent interview Dan Hooker said that, though Makhachev was “on a good streak” his success had come from “copying Khabib’s homework”. Hooker added that it was hard to compare Makhachev to the undefeated Nurmagomedov when Makhachev had been “laid flat in the Octagon” by Adriano Martins back in 2015.
Makhachev saw this criticism from Hooker and decided to fired back.
I have 8 fight winning streak, this guy is 3-3 in last 6 fights. I was looking to fight him year ago, but he was scared even mention my name. @danthehangman wish you good luck in next fights, win something and we can talk. https://t.co/WxGcVkq15O
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) July 19, 2021
“I have 8 fight winning streak,” wrote Makhachev on Twitter. “This guy is 3-3 in last 6 fights. I was looking to fight him year ago, but he was scared even mention my name. [Dan Hooker] wish you good luck in next fights, win something and we can talk.”
Makhachev’s win streak came after his shock first round KO loss to Martins at UFC 192. Since then he has gone 8-0 with four wins via stoppage. Prior to beating Moises last weekend, Makhachev defeated Drew Dober by submission at UFC 259 in March. His overall record stands at 20-1.
The 20-10 Hooker joined the UFC in 2014. In 2018 he KO’d future UFC welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns. After that he lost to Edson Barboza by KO. Then he amassed a three-fight winning streak over James Vick, Al Iaquinta and Paul Felder.
Last June Hooker lost a unanimous decision to Dustin Poirier. In January he was TKO’d by Michael Chandler in a bout to determine a challenger for the vacant UFC lightweight title.