UFC lightweight striker, Dan Hooker has inked his first ever tattoo this week after hitting headlines over the course of this months post-UFC 284 – donning a sizeable back piece for his first time under the needle.
Hooker, the current #11 ranked lightweight contender, earned his way back to the division’s top-15 rankings with an impressive finish of Claudio Puelles back in November at UFC 281 in Madison Square Garden, with a third round body kick TKO.
The victory propelled the City Kickboxing mainstay back to the winner’s enclosure, following a string of losses consecutively against Arnold Allen – albeit at the featherweight limit, and a submission loss to current lightweight kingpin, Islam Makhachev.
Hitting the headlines in the immediate aftermath of UFC 284, Dan Hooker branded lightweight kingpin, Makhachev a “cheating dog” – accusing him of utilizing an intravenous drip in order to help with the rehydration process ahead of his title fight with featherweight champion and Hooker’s training partner, Alexander Volkanovski.
Slated himself to fight Jalin Turner at UFC 285 on March 4. next, Auckland striker, Dan Hooker was forced from the card earlier this month after suffering a fractured hand. Turner is slated to remain on the T-Mobile Arena card in two week’s time, however, drawing former two-division KSW champion, Mateusz Gamrot on short-notice.
Dan Hooker inks his first ever tattoo
Posting pictures following his first ever tattoo session, Hooker, 33, showed off a new upper back tattoo piece, inked by an artist at Phresh Ink – claiming he is no longer a “virgin”.
Over the course of his UFC tenure, Hooker has managed to chalk up victories over the likes of Ross Pearson, Jim Miller, Al Iaquinta, Paul Felder, Nasrat Haqparast, and former welterweight title challenger, Gilbert Burns to boot.