Tag: Dan Hooker

Hooker Hints At Featherweight Return With Successful Weight Cut Test

UFC lightweight Dan Hooker has hinted at a potential return to the featherweight division with a successful trial weight cut to 146 pounds.

Hooker, who is widely regarded as one of the UFC’s top fan favorites, has gone 1-2 in three Octagon appearan…

Dan Hooker

UFC lightweight Dan Hooker has hinted at a potential return to the featherweight division with a successful trial weight cut to 146 pounds.

Hooker, who is widely regarded as one of the UFC’s top fan favorites, has gone 1-2 in three Octagon appearances in 2021. After starting the year with his second consecutive loss, which came against promotional newcomer Michael Chandler in Abu Dhabi, “The Hangman” rebounded with a mature performance against the unranked Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 266.

Just days out from that victory, Hooker accepted another fight set for just a month later. After Rafael dos Anjos withdrew from UFC 267, Hooker stepped in to replace him against surging Dagestani Islam Makhachev. In the first round, the New Zealander was submitted by a brutal kimura, marking his second defeat on Fight Island of the year.

Hooker Could Rejuvenate His Career At 145

After initially going 7-1 after moving up to lightweight, a record that included victories over Gilbert Burns, James Vick, Al Iaquinta, and Paul Felder, Hooker has now lost three of his last fours fights. Despite his setbacks coming to three of the best names in the division, including upcoming title challenger and No.1-ranked contender Dustin Poirier, Hooker is seemingly looking to rejuvenate his career in his old stomping grounds.

Hooker began his UFC career at featherweight. In six fights in the weight class, he traded wins and losses, going 3-3. Despite finding more form and success at 155 pounds, “The Hangman” is seemingly pursuing a move back to 145. During a recent interview with The Mac Life’s Oscar Willis, Hooker revealed he’d be working with UFC dieticians and performing a test weight cut.

“I’m doing a little something something at the moment. Gotta make your next move, your best move. Let’s just say I’m working with the UFC and fight dietician very closely, and I’m doing a little test run, and we’ll see.” (h/t MiddleEasy)

It now appears Hooker’s test run has been a success. The New Zealander took to Twitter on Monday to share a video of him weighing himself and successfully making the 146-pound limit.

With the likes of Giga Chikadze and Arnold Allen rising the ranks, there are certainly a load of exciting matchups awaiting Hooker if he does commit to a return to featherweight. Perhaps he’ll even have the chance to exact revenge on Yair Rodriguez, who defeated him via unanimous decision in 2015.

Do you think Dan Hooker should return to featherweight?

Continue Reading Hooker Hints At Featherweight Return With Successful Weight Cut Test at MMA News.

Dan Hooker Successfully Test Cuts Ahead Of Featherweight Move

Dan HookerUFC fan favourite and lightweight contender Dan Hooker, has teased making a potential switch to the featherweight division through his social media.  On the ‘Hangman’s’ Twitter he shared a video of him weighing 146 lbs which would qualify him to compete at featherweight.  Speaking to The Mac Life Hooker recently revealed that he is testing […]

Dan Hooker

UFC fan favourite and lightweight contender Dan Hooker, has teased making a potential switch to the featherweight division through his social media. 

On the ‘Hangman’s’ Twitter he shared a video of him weighing 146 lbs which would qualify him to compete at featherweight. 

Speaking to The Mac Life Hooker recently revealed that he is testing the waters ahead of a move to featherweight.

“I’m doing a little something, something at the moment,” Hooker said. “You’ve got to make your next move your best move. Let’s just say I’m working with the UFC and the fight dietician very closely and I’m doing a test, a little test run. And we’ll see.” (Transcribed by MMA Junkie)

This wouldn’t be Hooker’s first experience at featherweight, during 2014 and 2016 the ‘Hangman’ competed at featherweight, this also happened to be his first six fights in the UFC where he went 3-3. 

Hooker has gone 8-4 since he made the switch to lightweight, and is currently on a run of bad form losing three of his last four fights. 

However, those three losses have come to the elite of the lightweight division: Dustin Poirer who is the number one contender and is fighting for the title in his next fight. 

Michael Chandler who fought for the UFC lightweight title after his win against Hooker, In his most recent bout Islam Makhachev who is now riding a nine fight win streak. 

Is Dan Hooker Making A Switch To Featherweight

With Champion Alexander Volkanovski riding a ten fight win streak with three title defences, which include back to back wins over who many consider is one of the greatest featherweights of all time Max Holloway. 

As well as his most recent victory over number two ranked featherweight Brian Ortega, you could argue that featherweight has one of the most dominant champions in the UFC. 

The division also includes the previously mentioned Max Holloway who is the number one contender at featherweight, has bounced back from his back to back losses to the champion. 

With dominant wins over Calvin Kattar where he broke the UFC record for significant strikes landed, his most recent win over Yair Rodriguez.

Is this change of weight class what Dan Hooker needs right now?

Dan Hooker Successfully Test Cuts Ahead Of Featherweight Move

Dan HookerUFC fan favourite and lightweight contender Dan Hooker, has teased making a potential switch to the featherweight division through his social media.  On the ‘Hangman’s’ Twitter he shared a video of him weighing 146 lbs which would qualify him to compete at featherweight.  Speaking to The Mac Life Hooker recently revealed that he is testing […]

Dan Hooker

UFC fan favourite and lightweight contender Dan Hooker, has teased making a potential switch to the featherweight division through his social media. 

On the ‘Hangman’s’ Twitter he shared a video of him weighing 146 lbs which would qualify him to compete at featherweight. 

Speaking to The Mac Life Hooker recently revealed that he is testing the waters ahead of a move to featherweight.

“I’m doing a little something, something at the moment,” Hooker said. “You’ve got to make your next move your best move. Let’s just say I’m working with the UFC and the fight dietician very closely and I’m doing a test, a little test run. And we’ll see.” (Transcribed by MMA Junkie)

This wouldn’t be Hooker’s first experience at featherweight, during 2014 and 2016 the ‘Hangman’ competed at featherweight, this also happened to be his first six fights in the UFC where he went 3-3. 

Hooker has gone 8-4 since he made the switch to lightweight, and is currently on a run of bad form losing three of his last four fights. 

However, those three losses have come to the elite of the lightweight division: Dustin Poirer who is the number one contender and is fighting for the title in his next fight. 

Michael Chandler who fought for the UFC lightweight title after his win against Hooker, In his most recent bout Islam Makhachev who is now riding a nine fight win streak. 

Is Dan Hooker Making A Switch To Featherweight

With Champion Alexander Volkanovski riding a ten fight win streak with three title defences, which include back to back wins over who many consider is one of the greatest featherweights of all time Max Holloway. 

As well as his most recent victory over number two ranked featherweight Brian Ortega, you could argue that featherweight has one of the most dominant champions in the UFC. 

The division also includes the previously mentioned Max Holloway who is the number one contender at featherweight, has bounced back from his back to back losses to the champion. 

With dominant wins over Calvin Kattar where he broke the UFC record for significant strikes landed, his most recent win over Yair Rodriguez.

Is this change of weight class what Dan Hooker needs right now?

Dan Hooker: Dariush Is The Best Lightweight With The Worst Marketability

Dan Hooker believes Beneil Dariush is the most technically gifted UFC lightweight, but also, the most lacking in mainstream appeal.

Widely regarded as the toughest in the UFC, the 155-pound division has long overflowed with talent. Khabib Nurmagome…

Dan Hooker Dariush

Dan Hooker believes Beneil Dariush is the most technically gifted UFC lightweight, but also, the most lacking in mainstream appeal.

Widely regarded as the toughest in the UFC, the 155-pound division has long overflowed with talent. Khabib Nurmagomedov may have retired, but with the likes of Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje still vying for the belt, the division remains a veritable meat grinder of competition.

Add to those names surging contender and Khabib protégé Islam Makhachev, ascending to the top of the lightweight heap is now, as it has been for some time, one of the toughest feats in MMA. 

In defeating Hooker at UFC 267, Makhachev appears to have bridged the gap from relative obscurity to mainstream recognition—being spoken of by many as an inevitable champion. For years, the unassuming Dagestani worked his way up the ranks, and only this year has become a household name. Lacking the charisma of Khabib, Islam has no doubt benefited from the former lightweight champ’s presence in his corner, and the star power he wields.

Dan Hooker Makhachev
PHOTO: GETTY

The Blessing And Curse Of Being Beneil Dariush—According To Dan Hooker

Like Makhachev, Dariush has quietly plied his trade in the lightweight division, going on a seven-fight win streak which in May culminated in a dominant unanimous decision victory over crowd favorite Tony Ferguson.

During this unbeaten streak, Dariush has earned three Performance of the Night awards, and one for Fight of the Night. But despite that, and claiming the scalp of someone with the star power of Ferguson, it appears to have done little for Dariush’s mainstream popularity, even while catapulting him to #3 in the lightweight rankings.

Beneil Dariush Fergson
Beneil Dariush comes agonizingly close to submitting Tony Ferguson during their UFC 262 bout in May

For a man like Hooker, who has become a fan favorite and still remains a force within the division despite losing three of his last four fights, the concept of marketability is one he knows well.

Speaking to The Mac Life, the New Zealander gave his frank assessment of Dariush, saying that the American is the best UFC lightweight technically. Considering the talent-stacked division in which they both compete, it’s a flattering compliment to say the least. However, a back-handed one, given Hooker’s appraisal of Beneil’s ability, or lack thereof, to sell a fight (h/t MiddleEasy).

“Beneil is like the worst in the best way,” said Hooker. “In my personal opinion, Beneil Dariush is the best, technically, in the top five. That’s my personal opinion. Top five to champion, I feel like Beneil Dariush is the best, with like the least—because he’s the nicest guy in the world—the least marketability, and the least ability to sell a fight.”

What do you think? Do you agree with Dan Hooker’s assessment of Beneil Dariush?

Continue Reading Dan Hooker: Dariush Is The Best Lightweight With The Worst Marketability at MMA News.

Dan Hooker On UFC 267 Stoppage: “Let It Break”

UFC lightweight Dan Hooker has spoken about his loss to surging contender Islam Makhachev at UFC 267, and given his take on the first-round stoppage.

Just days out from his victory over Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 266, which saw him rebound from prior …

Dan Hooker, UFC 267: Makhachev vs. Hooker

UFC lightweight Dan Hooker has spoken about his loss to surging contender Islam Makhachev at UFC 267, and given his take on the first-round stoppage.

Just days out from his victory over Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 266, which saw him rebound from prior defeats to Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler, Hooker signed on for another fight scheduled for just a month later. After Rafael dos Anjos withdrew from his bout with Makhachev due to a recent surgery, the always-game Hooker stepped in to replace him in Abu Dhabi.

Despite looking to prove the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Javier Mendez wrong, who’d essentially suggested “The Hangman” posed little threat to their man, the New Zealander’s night was over in two minutes and 25 seconds. The Dagestani secured a first-round submission victory after locking in a brutal kimura.

What did Hooker say to trigger the ref stoppage?

While Makhachev surges towards a championship opportunity or title eliminator, Hooker has been left to ponder what went wrong on Fight Island. During a recent pub sit-down with The Mac Life’s Oscar Willis, the #8-ranked lightweight discussed his third defeat in four fights.

According to Hooker, the fight-ending submission came after he made multiple mistakes that shouldn’t have happened. Despite Makhachev’s clinical grappling performance, “The Hangman” suggested the majority of factors that led to the result came through his own errors, rather than the Dagestani’s supreme grappling.

“What happened, happened. That whole thing’s pretty self-explanatory… I wouldn’t say (I made) one little mistake, it was a series of mistakes… mistakes that, just shouldn’t have been made and that’s completely on me. I’m the one that has to bare the brunt of that, which I will.

“I would just say he’s super patient. He got the takedown, which was obviously my bad, secured the takedown; my bad again. That’s two of the many mistakes. But yeah, he was just quite comfortable waiting there. Again, (I) tried to force it a little bit too much, like, getting back up… I wasn’t comfortable just sitting there and staying there for the next three minutes.”

“I thought I’d said it in my head.”

– Dan Hooker

In the immediate aftermath of the kimura, Hooker appeared confused and agitated at the referee. The 31-year-old has now hilariously admitted that the referee stepped in after he accidentally shouted “Ah fuck,” something he believed he’d only said in his head at the time. After his initial complaints, Hooker revealed he told the referee that he should have let his arm break.

“I thought I’d said it in my head. To be honest I haven’t even gone back and watched the fight. He had my arm wrapped up and I said, I thought I said in my head, I said, ‘Ah fuck!’ [LAUGHS] I thought I said it in my head but obviously, I’ll have to go back and watch it, because obviously I said it out loud… That’s why, I though I’d said it in my head, so initially when the ref starts breaking it up I was like, ‘What? Let it break,’ you know what I mean?”

Having failed to continue the momentum he gained after returning to the win column against Haqparast in September, Hooker will now look to rebound once again when he returns to action in 2022.

What do you make of Dan Hooker’s comments regarding his UFC 267 stoppage?

Continue Reading Dan Hooker On UFC 267 Stoppage: “Let It Break” at MMA News.

Hooker Suggests He’s Wiping His Tears With Cash After UFC 267 Payday

Despite falling to a first-round submission loss at the hands of Islam Makhachev at UFC 267, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for Dan Hooker on Halloween weekend.

On Saturday, Hooker secured himself a bag that wasn’t even on the table just over a month…

Dan Hooker, Islam Makhachev

Despite falling to a first-round submission loss at the hands of Islam Makhachev at UFC 267, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for Dan Hooker on Halloween weekend.

On Saturday, Hooker secured himself a bag that wasn’t even on the table just over a month ago. After returning to the win column with an intelligent decision victory over Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 266 in September, “The Hangman” found himself signing another bout agreement just days later, this time against the surging #5-ranked contender.

After former UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos withdrew from his scheduled clash against Makhachev, Hooker stepped in on short notice. The narrative ahead of the fight surrounded the belief among the Dagestani’s camp that the New Zealander barely had a chance. Believing he knew something that they didn’t, Hooker repeatedly implied he’d shock the world in Abu Dhabi.

Ultimately, Makhachev’s pressure and skill on the ground proved too much for Hooker. In the opening round, he was taken down and submitted with a brutal kimura. While Makhachev pursues a title shot or title eliminator, Hooker will be looking to rebound yet again in his next outing.

Hooker Previously Denied Taking The Fight For The Paycheck

Ahead of the main card clash, many had suggested Hooker’s reason for accepting the short-notice bout was money-motivated. Makhachev’s manager Ali Abdelaziz claimed the #6-ranked lightweight was showing up simply for the payday. After Hooker requested the fight be changed to five rounds, Makhachev chimed in, suggesting the New Zealander’s desire for a 25-minute distance was rooted out of his search for a bigger paycheck.

“Honestly, I think Hooker come to Abu Dhabi just for make money,” Makhachev said in an interview with BT Sport. “That’s why he ask about five rounds, because he know. Some fighters, they give five rounds, they paid more money. I think before, when he took this fight, he asked about more money, too. He say, ‘I’m gonna fight this one, but you guys just have to pay me more.’ He come to Abu Dhabi just (to) do good business, you know?”

Having previously claimed he never fights purely for the remuneration, Hooker has seemingly admitted that it’s provided some consolation for his disappointing defeat inside Yas Island’s Etihad Arena. In a tweet that was deleted shortly after, Hooker posted the following GIF of actor Woody Harrelson wiping his tears with a stack of bills.

Woody Harrelson Crying GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

While it’s likely Hooker was simply jesting about the pre-event narrative surrounding his decision to step-up to face the surging Russian, the paycheck he likely received certainly must have helped him cope with his third defeat in four outings.

Who would you like to see Dan Hooker face next?

Continue Reading Hooker Suggests He’s Wiping His Tears With Cash After UFC 267 Payday at MMA News.