The last time fans saw Dan Hooker compete inside the Octagon, they were given a ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate performance, with what was a five round war against Dustin Poirier at UFC Vegas 4. Although ‘The Hangman’ suffered a unanimous decision defeat, he still managed to prove he undoubtedly belongs in the upper echelon in the UFC lightweight division.
Three months on, Hooker is ready to return to the Octagon against another top tier opponent. While speaking to Submission Radio (transcribed by BJPenn.com), the Nigerian born Kiwi gave his list of preferred opponents.
“Top pick, hands down would have to be Tony Ferguson. That is a fight I would love to jump in just because of the mystique around Tony Ferguson,” Dan Hooker said. “I would love to get in there and just compete with the guy. Coming in at a close second, (makes drumroll) Michael Chandler. You throw him in for a world title, you throw him, first is a backup for a world title. That definitely shows the stock that the UFC is putting into that guy. I would love to get in there, knee him in the face.
“Third, I keep getting broken translations from reporters that Charles Oliveira is calling you out. Charles Oliveira, where? Charles Oliveira get on a video and say, Dan Hooker, I want to fight you. It is not a difficult thing to do,” Hooker continued. “I don’t speak Portugese, my friend, I can not understand you. I can’t understand translations, say it to me and we will put that fight together and make it happen. Any of those three, Tony Ferguson, Michael Chandler, Charles Oliveira put your hand up, who wants to get in there and compete?”
With reports of Ferguson and Poirier staying loyal to a matchup with one another after failed negotiations with the promotion for UFC 254, it seems likely that ‘El Cucuy’ could already be locked up. There is also Michael Chandler serving as a backup for either Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje, should either man fall out of their title fight next month, leaving Oliveira his only short term option.
Who would you like to see Dan Hooker face next?
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