Tag: Dan Hooker

‘That Makes Up For 312’ – Fans React To Reveal Of Full Main Card For UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev

The main card for next month’s UFC 313 pay-per-view event has been confirmed — and fans are expecting violence. After a disappointing numbered event Down Under in Sydney, Australia earlier this month, the promotion’s March offering on PPV comes from within the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Two highly anticipated clashes are set to headline, […]

The main card for next month’s UFC 313 pay-per-view event has been confirmed — and fans are expecting violence.

After a disappointing numbered event Down Under in Sydney, Australia earlier this month, the promotion’s March offering on PPV comes from within the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Two highly anticipated clashes are set to headline, with fan favorite Alex Pereira defending his light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev in the main event and Justin Gaethje meeting Dan Hooker in a sure-fire barnburner at 155 pounds.

During the broadcast of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night event at the Apex, the MMA leader confirmed which other three fights will go down on the UFC 313 main card, including two further lightweight bouts and a key contest at 115 pounds.

  • Light Heavyweight Championship: Alex Pereira (C) vs. Magomed Ankalaev
  • Lightweight: Justin Gaethje vs. Dan Hooker
  • Lightweight: Jalin Turner vs. Ignacio Bahamondes
  • Women’s Strawweight: Amanda Lemos vs. Iasmin Lucindo
  • Lightweight: King Green vs. Mauricio Ruffy

Fans quickly flocked to social media to react, with the majority seemingly anticipating a much more electric card at UFC 313 than was delivered to Aussie fans at Qudos Bank Arena on Feb. 8.

What’s Next After UFC 312? Current UFC 313 Card For Las Vegas On March 8

UFC 312 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering, UFC 313 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The promotion was in Sydney, Australia this past week, where the Qudos Bank Arena played host to some intriguing matchups for its second numbered event of the new year. Of note […]

UFC 312 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering, UFC 313 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The promotion was in Sydney, Australia this past week, where the Qudos Bank Arena played host to some intriguing matchups for its second numbered event of the new year. Of note were headline wins for Dricus Du Plessis and Zhang Weili, as well as victories for Tallison Teixeira and Jake Matthews.

While the aftermath of the Feb. 8 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV — and from the middleweight title picture to the light heavyweight championship conversation.

At UFC 313, set for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 8, reigning kingpin Alex Pereira will open his account for the new year, once again in defense of his 205-pound gold. After consecutive victories over Jamahal Hill, Ji?í Procházka, and Khalil Rountree in 2024, the Brazilian will next meet the challenge of Magomed Ankalaev.

Gaethje vs. Hooker Sets The Stage For Title Headliner At UFC 313

Stakes will also be high in the co-headliner, as top lightweight contenders Justin Gaethje and Dan Hooker meet in a five-round battle that many expect to be in the conversation for Fight of the Year come the end of 2025.

And that’s not the only sure-fire barnburner at 155 pounds. Also slated to collide at UFC 313 is veteran King Green and surging Fighting Nerds prospect Mauricio Ruffy.

An important strawweight bout is also set, with former title challenger Amanda Lemos tasked with defending her position on the ladder against up-and-comer Iasmin Lucindo.

See below for the UFC 313 card, as it stands.

  • Alex Pereira (C) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (light heavyweight championship)
  • Justin Gaethje vs. Dan Hooker (lightweight)
  • Amanda Lemos vs. Iasmin Lucindo (women’s strawweight)
  • King Green vs. Mauricio Ruffy (lightweight)
  • Brunno Ferreira vs. Armen Petrosyan (middleweight)
  • Bruno Silva vs. Joshua Van (flyweight)
  • Alex Morono vs. Carlos Leal (welterweight)
  • Chris Gutierrez vs. Jean Matsumoto (bantamweight)
  • Ozzy Diaz vs. Djorden Santos (middleweight)
  • Mairon Santos vs. Francis Marshall (featherweight)
Justin Gaethje
Image: UFC.com

Dan Hooker Clears Up Misconception Fans Have About Israel Adesanya

New Zealand’s Dan Hooker has been a staple of the UFC roster ever since he made his debut back in 2014. The Octagon has been graced by some great and iconic fighters from Oceania and “The Hangman” was a big part of the new wave that would take MMA in the region to new heights […]

New Zealand’s Dan Hooker has been a staple of the UFC roster ever since he made his debut back in 2014. The Octagon has been graced by some great and iconic fighters from Oceania and “The Hangman” was a big part of the new wave that would take MMA in the region to new heights entirely.

One of those moments that is now looked back on as a pivotal moment in the history of the sport is when Hooker was joined on the roster by a fellow countryman of his and teammate at Auckland’s City Kickboxing. Israel Adesanya arrived in the UFC four years after his long-time gym mate and the two men have produced some incredible moments in front of both home and away crowds.

They’ve been through a lot together and as someone that knows “The Last Stylebender” better than most, Hooker believes that there is a common misconception about their dynamic. Adesanya has been a superstar from his very first year in the promotion where he racked up four consecutive wins to climb to the top of the 185-pound division.

As a result, there is a lot that is said or presumed about the former two-time middleweight champion who makes his return this weekend to face Nassourdine Imavov in his first non-title main event since 2019. Hooker recently spoke in an interview with Dom Harvey about the character of his teammate and why people get them the wrong way round.

Hooker has shown on multiple occasions that he’s a kill or be killed fighter and whilst we have seen that from Adesanya in the past as well, “The Hangman” swears that you won’t find a better person outside of the cage.

“Without a shadow of a doubt like goes back to the day we die. It’s not one of those friendships where you have to message each other every day…we go through like a lot of the the similar things obviously, I don’t tell the levels that he’s at like the levels of fame that he’s at is absolutely wild and we are very different people.

“The funny part about it is people think he’s the bad one and I’m the nice one and I’m just like thinking, ‘what the heck?’. Israel’s like one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life. He is actually like a really nice heartfelt dude and I’m just not…Israel Like there’s no malice in it, it’s a competitive sport and he’s got no malicious intent like when he fights.”

Dan Hooker Claims Ilia Topuria Rejected Alexander Volkanovski Rematch For UFC 313 Due To Weight Cut Demand

According to lightweight contender Dan Hooker, plans for Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski to run it back this March fell through due to the UFC featherweight champion’s inability to make the weight. Hooker recently had his return to action confirmed for UFC 313 in Las Vegas on March 8, where he’ll collide with former interim […]

According to lightweight contender Dan Hooker, plans for Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski to run it back this March fell through due to the UFC featherweight champion’s inability to make the weight.

Hooker recently had his return to action confirmed for UFC 313 in Las Vegas on March 8, where he’ll collide with former interim champion Justin Gaethje in a sure-fire banger.

The event looks set to be a stacked one, with light heavyweight kingpin Alex Pereira defending his gold in the main event opposite top contender Magomed Ankalaev.

As it turns out, though, another high-profile title clash could have found itself on the lineup.

During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Hooker asserted that occasional teammate and fellow Oceanian fighter Volkanovski agreed to run it back with Topuria in competition for the 145-pound strap he formerly owned. But according to “The Hangman,” the Spaniard allegedly requested half-a-year to drop the pounds.

“They wanted to put Volk and Ilia on the (UFC 313) card as well but Ilia said he needs six months to make weight or something. I’m like, ‘Bro, what?’”

Volkanovski was quick to outline his plans to secure redemption against Topuria after being knocked out by “El Matador” 11 months ago.

While the reigning champ pointed toward that rematch being his next assignment after defending the belt versus Max Holloway in October, he’s since discussed a lightweight move.

Topuria’s coach has also added context to those plans by outlining the increasing difficult his man is having making the featherweight limit, perhaps adding some supportive evidence behind Hooker’s claim.

Dan Hooker Slams Arman Tsarukyan for ‘Strange’ UFC 311 Withdrawal: ‘Daddy Can’t Buy You a Backbone’

Dan Hooker Slams Arman Tsarukyan for 'Strange' UFC 311 Withdrawal: 'Daddy Can’t Buy You a Backbone'Dan Hooker can’t make sense of Arman Tsarukyan’s sudden withdrawal from UFC 311. Mere hours before he was scheduled…

Dan Hooker Slams Arman Tsarukyan for 'Strange' UFC 311 Withdrawal: 'Daddy Can’t Buy You a Backbone'

Dan Hooker can’t make sense of Arman Tsarukyan’s sudden withdrawal from UFC 311.

Mere hours before he was scheduled to step on the scale for his lightweight title tilt against reigning champion Islam Makhachev, ‘Ahalkalakets’ informed the promotion that he would not be able to compete citing a back injury.

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Renato Moicano ultimately stepped up to the plate and slid into the main event slot left behind by Tsarukyan, but the alleged injury has left a lot of people scratching their heads. Particularly after UFC CEO Dana White implied that the Armenian could have fought in Los Angeles.

Dan Hooker questions how you get injured ‘on your day off’

‘The Hangman’ echoed a similar sentiment during a recent interview with Submission Radio, questioning how exactly Tsarukyan suffered such a devastating back injury when all he should have been doing was cutting weight.

“That’s our sport. It’s never smooth sailing,” Hooker said. “How are you getting injured on your day off? I’ve got no idea. I thought it was pretty strange, bro. To get such a severe injury that you need to pull out when you’re cutting weight, you know?

“It must be a severe injury. I don’t know how you would pass up on that opportunity. I obviously saw Dana White just say that he ain’t getting the title shot next, and he’s going to have to work his way back up to the belt. You know, Daddy can’t buy you a backbone, can he?”

Perhaps we’ll never know the full truth, but there are plenty of theories out there. Former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett placed the blame on “insane weight cutting” during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.

Others have suggested that Tsarukyan may have legitimately injured himself while showing UFC interviewer Nina-Marie Daniele some intense wrestling and stretching drills, which appeared to strain his backbone and neck, though Tsarukyan and Daniele have both attempted to pour cold water on that claim.

“No, that thing I’m doing every day as part of my warm-up, so if I had a problem during training camp, how could I do this exercise? You know, I didn’t feel anything; I was good and ready,” Tsarukyan told Helwani. “I was training very hard, and during the week, I had good energy and no problems. It just happened, you know.”

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Dan Hooker Doesn’t Hold Back In Assessment Of Arman Tsarukyan’s UFC 311 Pullout: ‘Daddy Can’t Buy You A Backbone’

Dan Hooker is tearing into Arman Tsarukyan for pulling out of the most significant fight of his career to date. Tsarukyan was set to face reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in the headliner of UFC 311 last Saturday at the Intuit Dome in California. Unfortunately, the highly anticipated rematch faced a devastating setback when “Ahalkalakets” […]

Dan Hooker is tearing into Arman Tsarukyan for pulling out of the most significant fight of his career to date.

Tsarukyan was set to face reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in the headliner of UFC 311 last Saturday at the Intuit Dome in California. Unfortunately, the highly anticipated rematch faced a devastating setback when “Ahalkalakets” withdrew just hours before the official weigh-ins due to a back injury.

Makhachev dominated Renato Moicano, who stepped in as Tsarukyan’s late replacement, securing a first-round submission to notch his fourth consecutive title defense in dominant fashion.

As if the injury wasn’t enough for the 28-year-old Armenian, things took an unexpected turn at the UFC 311 post-fight press conference. UFC CEO Dana White revealed that Tsarukyan won’t be given an immediate title shot. Instead, he’ll need to secure one or two more victories before earning being considered for another crack at the belt.

During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Hooker weighed in on Tsarukyan’s withdrawal from his first UFC title shot, expressing shock over the timing of the injury that led to the unexpected setback.

“How do you get injured on your day off?” Hooker said. “I got no idea… I thought it was pretty, pretty strange, bro, to get such a severe injury that you need to pull out when you’re cutting weight, you know?”

“The Hangman” didn’t hold back, taking sharp jabs at Tsarukyan for missing out on an immediate title shot, while mocking his apparently privileged background and his father Nairi Tsarukyan’s wealth.

“It must be a pretty severe injury. But, like, your world title is your absolutely everything. I don’t know how you would pass up on that opportunity. Yeah, like, I obviously saw Dana White just say that he ain’t getting the title shot next and he’s going to have to work his way back up to the belt, you know. Daddy can’t buy you a backbone, can he?”

Hooker is placing himself in the mix for a lightweight title shot as he’s set to clash with former interim champion Justin Gaethje in a five-round battle. The high-stakes bout will take place as the co-main event of UFC 311 on March 8 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.