Dan Hooker responds to rival's UFC callout

By Christopher Reive

Dan Hooker isn’t simply shooting his shot in a bid to book his next fight – he’s unloading his clip.

“The benefit of having a big mouth is you’ll always have someone to fight,” he grinned.

The Kiwi UFC star has been out of action since July last year, breaking his arm in his win over Jalin Turner before rebreaking it while preparing to fight Bobby Green and ultimately having to withdraw from the December fight.

Now healed and cleared to return, Hooker has set the date for his next performance under the bright lights – he just needs a dance partner.

“[The UFC] know the date. They know June [30], International Fight Week. I’m sure it’ll be a big card, I’m sure it’ll be a pay-per-view. I think as it gets closer to the 10-week, 12-week mark we’ll start talking about names, but we’ll just wait and see at this stage.”

The Herald understands Hooker’s team is in negotiations with the UFC about the 34-year-old’s return. Ranked at No 9 in the lightweight division, he will likely have some options.

Looking to move forward in the division, he indicated No 8 Rafael Fiziev or No 5 Mateusz Gamrot as targets after being told No 7 Beneil Dariush was unavailable.

“Dariush can piss or get off the pot,” Hooker said. “I’ve asked about Dariush with the matchmakers and they’ve said he’s out indefinitely.

“Well, if you’re out indefinitely, retire, brother. You either fight someone or get out of the way.”

Should he be unable to book a fight against a higher-ranked adversary, Hooker had his eyes on two bouts at April’s UFC 300 card as well. He had been calling out No 13 Renato Moicano before Moicano booked his fight against No 10 Turner, while he would also be open to rebooking the bout against unranked Green.

“If Moicano gets past Turner I think that fight makes sense. But if no one above me will fight me, everyone knows I don’t care about rankings. I still feel like I owe the fans that Bobby Green fight if he gets past Jim Miller at 300.”

While he’s currently got his sights set on a date and not a specific name, Hooker was quick to dismiss being called out by unranked Thiago Moises last weekend.

Moises was supposed to fight fellow Kiwi Brad Riddell, but instead had a short-notice replacement after Riddell withdrew from the bout. Moises won the fight by TKO in the third round, before calling Hooker out for a main event.

“No one cares, brother,” Hooker said of being called out by Moises.

“That’s worse than not wanting to fight someone, not caring about someone. Like, I don’t care about Thiago Moises. That’s worse.

“It’s not I think I can beat him, it’s not I think it’s easy, I just don’t care.”

Awaiting his next assignment, Hooker has been making the most of his enforced break.

While some might be frustrated by the layoff given the circumstances of back-to-back injuries, Hooker saw the positives of it.

“I’ve been going fight-to-fight or injury-to-fight, so this is the first real break I’ve had and at this stage of my career it’s good, it’s refreshing. Other guys like to fight a lot less when they make a big name for themselves, but I feel refreshed and good to go again.”

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