Perennial lightweight contender, Dan ‘The Hangman’ Hooker has taken the recent compliments dished out by fan-favourite veteran, Nate Diaz – calling for a matchup with the Stockton native at either lightweight or welterweight in the process.
The New Zealand native is 1-1 under the UFC’s banner so far this year – scoring a close split decision win over fellow lightweight contender, Paul ‘The Irish Dragon’ Felder on home soil at UFC Fight Night Auckland in February – before a unanimous decision loss to former interim champion, Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier at UFC Vegas 4 in June. The defeat marked the snapping of a three-fight rise for the Kiwi.
In somewhat of another barb aimed at incoming welterweight title challenger, Gilbert ‘Durinho’ Burns – Diaz posted a video on his official Twitter account of a 2018 pairing of Burns and Hooker, where the latter scored an opening-round knockout at UFC 226. Drawing the attention of current middleweight champion and Hooker’s City Kickboxing teammate, Israel Adesanya who commented, “that’s a good ass fight” Diaz labelled Hooker as “the #1 welterweight right now“.
Your boys the #1 welterweight right now
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) October 10, 2020
Calling his shot at grappling and striking standout, Diaz – Hooker offered his services as an opponent at either 155-pounds or a welterweight limit of 170-pounds.
“@NateDiaz209 So 55 (155-pounds) or 70 (170-pounds)?“
While Hooker calls for a potential matchup with Diaz – it seems The Ultimate Fighter 5 victor and one-time lightweight title challenger may not get his BMF championship rematch opposite Jorge ‘Gamebred’ Masvidal in January as tentatively targeted recently.
Reports began to surface a number of weeks ago detailing how the promotion was targeting a welterweight rematch between Masvidal and Diaz for a pay-per-view event in January, UFC 257 – following their controversial UFC 244 meeting in November of last year at Madison Square Garden, which ultimately concluded with an anti-climactic third-round doctor’s stoppage.
Doubts were further cast on the potential re-run, as UFC president Dana White admitted recently that it was now “very possible“ the promotion instead look toward a high-stakes welterweight pairing of former American Top Team training partners, Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington, and the above noted, Masvidal instead.
A welterweight appearance opposite Diaz would mark the first excursion for Hooker at 170-pounds – competing as low as the featherweight limit of 145-pounds during the initial six fights of his so far fifteen fight stint with the organization.