Perennial light-weight contender, Dan Hooker has claimed he “sold” his title shot at 155lbs searching for extra money following a run of huge fights within the final 5 years, culminating in a dominant submission loss to present titleholder, Islam Makhachev in Abu Dhabi.
Hooker, the present quantity six ranked light-weight contender has been sidelined since August, most just lately delivering an in depth determination win over Polish challenger, Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305 in Australia, extending his profitable run to 3 straight fights.
Returning to the winner’s enclosure with a physique kick knockout win over Peruvian grappler, Claudio Puelles following a quick featherweight tour, Kiwi placing favourite, Dan Hooker would then greatest Jalin Turner in a choice success previous to his win over Gamrot final summer season.
Dan Hooker claims he “sold” his shot on the light-weight title again in 2021
Linked with a large return struggle within the coming months — after discovering himself tied to a pairing with former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor, Hooker revealed following a large headliner with Dustin Poirier and Islam Makhachev again in 2021, he was in line for a shot on the crown, nevertheless, “sold” it in an effort to tackle the Russian on short-notice.
“It’s just different stages of your career, like at that stage of my career I just wanted money,” Dan Hooker mentioned throughout an interview with David Adesanya. “They [the UFC] capitalized on that, and I sold my title shot. At the end of the day, that’s what it came down to… I just wanted money, then I got money, and I was like ‘Well this isn’t cool, I want a world title’ – [and] you can’t trade money for a world title at the end of the day.”
“It’s such as you’ve obtained to continuously set your self new objectives… Early on in your profession, you say, ‘I want to be a UFC fighter’ and then you definitely turn into a UFC fighter and also you’re like ‘Well this isn’t it, I wish to be a ranked UFC fighter’ – and then you definitely turn into ranked, however you need extra.
Throughout his prolonged tenure within the Octagon, Metropolis Kickboxing star, Hooker has racked up notable wins over the likes of Ross Pearson, Gilbert Burns, Jim Miller, James Vick, Al Iaquinta, Paul Felder, and Nasrat Haqparast.
