Dan Hooker confirms UFC return against "cheat code" in Perth

By Christopher Reive

Dan Hooker heard the rumours.

Patiently awaiting an opponent for the UFC 305 card in Perth on August 18, the UFC’s No 11-ranked lightweight was linked to a bout against unranked Drakkar Klose on the card.

It came after a video released by UFC president Dana White showed glimpses of what appeared to be a bout order for the Perth card, which featured Klose on it. While the board was obscured, people came to the conclusion that Hooker was the American’s likely opponent.

“I saw the picture on the board, just like everyone else saw the picture on the board of the one side with his name,” Hooker told the Herald.

“I messaged my manager and said ‘I’d love to smash that guy, I hate that guy’ and he goes ‘you hate everyone, Dan. There’s not much point’.

“I was prepared to fight any of those guys. I back myself against any man in the world. When you do it for long enough, you get to that point.”

But Hooker’s date in Perth will be someone a little more to his fancy.

The Kiwi, who recently extended his time with the promotion for another five bouts, will actually fight No 5-ranked Mateusz Gamrot in Perth – a bout that comes with all the opportunity and significantly less to lose for the 34-year-old.

“I wasn’t expecting to get someone that high, but that’s added some firepower to the UFC Perth card,” Hooker said.

“The lightweight division is an absolute s***show. It’s a bit of a mess at the moment; the number one contender is sitting out suspended, pretty much all the big names are coming off losses ... so the next guy in line to fight for the title in October would be Gamrot.

“But just edging [No 14-ranked Rafael dos Anjos] is not really getting it across the line, so they’ve obviously put a gun to him, told him he’s got to fly down to Perth to fight Dan Hooker if he wants the title shot – which is pretty exciting because if there’s a reward for one guy, there’s a reward on the table for the next man as well.”

It will be Hooker’s first bout in more than a year, after dealing with a broken arm on two different occasions through the back end of 2023 and early 2024.

He first suffered the break in his split decision win over Jalin Turner last July, before having to withdraw from a scheduled bout against King Green (formerly known as Bobby Green) last December after reinjuring the arm in training.

“That’s the most amount of time off I’ve ever had in my career. It’s good to not get hit in the head for a bit – I’m sure that’s not quite recommended in some places,” he said.

“It’s good to be finally getting fit again. This is so hard when you’re unfit, but I’m finally fit again, pushing hard in the gym, starting to get sharp, got an opponent, we’re locked and loaded.”

In Gamrot, 33, Hooker will be faced with the test of cracking the code to a wrestling-heavy opponent who is a proven winner.

In 27 professional bouts, Gamrot holds a 24-2 record with one no contest. Since joining the UFC in 2020, the Polish athlete is 7-2 and holds wins over four of the other top-15 ranked lightweights in the division.

“He’s got a cheat code,” Hooker said of Gamrot. “He fights without actually fighting. He’s got a little cheat code where he pretends he’s going to strike and then wrestles all the time. I respect it. It works. The man knows how to win.

“It’s a tough test, a tough match-up. He’s a tough competitor – I wouldn’t say he’s a fighter; he’s a tough competitor.”

Hooker will be the first of three fighters from Auckland’s City Kickboxing gym on the card to take to the cage.

In the co-main event, flyweight Kai Kara-France looks to work his way back into title contention against hometown favourite Steve Erceg.

In the headline spot, Israel Adesanya will look to dethrone South African Dricus du Plessis and become a three-time UFC middleweight champion.

UFC 305
RAC Arena, Perth. Sunday, August 18.

Confirmed bouts
Main event: Dricus du Plessis [c] v Israel Adesanya [2] for the UFC middleweight title
Flyweight: Kai Kara-France [4] v Steve Erceg [9]
Lightweight: Mateusz Gamrot [5] v Dan Hooker [11]
Heavyweight: Tai Tuivasa [10] v Jairzinho Rozenstruik [12]
Welterweight: Li Jingliang v Carlos Prates
Heavyweight: Junior Tafa v Valter Walker
Featherweight: Josh Culibao v Ricardo Ramos
Flyweight: Casey O’Neill [14] v Tereza Bleda
Featherweight: Jack Jenkins v Herbert Burns
Lightweight: Tom Nolan v Alex Reyes
Welterweight: Song Kenan v Ricky Glenn
Flyweight: Stewart Nicoll v Jesus Aguilar

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission