Could we see Dan Hooker vs. Michael Chandler?
To the surprise of many, former Bellator World Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler was announced as the back-up for the title fight between Justin Gaethje and Khabib Nurmagomedov. While the 34-year-old is indeed one of the top competitors of the 155-pound division, the news probably didn’t sit well with top ranked guys like Dan Hooker, who has yet to receive a title opportunity in the promotion.
Speaking with Submission Radio, Hooker talks about Chandler coming over to the company and his desire to be the first man to fight Michael Chandler (Transcript courtesy of MMA Fighting):
“Well, it was hard when people were speculating it and saying about the fight, it’s hard to know how much stock the UFC is putting into someone that’s coming from another organization,” Hooker said. “But for him to now be signed to the organization and being the fill-in for the title shot, now I know. Now I’m certain of how much stock [they’re putting in]. The UFC is putting a lot of stock in on this kid. So, I would love to be the guy to welcomes him to the UFC, knees his chin off, sends him back to the B-Leagues.”
Tony Ferguson and Dustin Poirier were reported offered to fight the UFC newcomer at the upcoming pay-per-view next month, which was turned down by men; however, Dan Hooker wouldn’t mind stepping into the octagon against Chandler at UFC 254:
“Yeah, I would (take the fight)” Hooker said. “If Sean Shelby calls me right now and he says Michael Chandler, UFC two hundred and whatever, we can put that together, we can make that happen. Of course.”
Hooker does confirm that he’ll be 100% ready to fight again in November or December, and states that Tony Ferguson is the number one guy that he wants to face in his next match-up:
“I’m 100 percent gonna get back in there before the end of the year,” Hooker said. “That’s something I’m very set on. I’ve had a good amount of time to recover, I’m back in the gym, I’m fit, I’m training and I’m ready to jump in a camp and get back in there. So, late November, December, my schedule’s wide open. So, we’re gonna book something.”
“Top pick hands down would have to be Tony Ferguson. That’s a fight that I would love to jump in. Just because of the mystique around Tony Ferguson. I would love to get in there and just compete with the guy. But coming in at a close second, Michael Chandler. You throw him in for a world title, you throw him in first fight as the backup for a world title, that definitely shows the stock that the UFC is putting into that guy, and I would love to get in there and knee him in the face.
Third, I keep getting broken translations from random reporters that like ‘Charles Oliveira’s calling you out, Charles is calling you out’. Where? Charles Oliveira, get on a video, say, ‘Dan Hooker, I want to fight you’. It’s not a difficult thing to do. I don’t speak Portuguese, my friend, I cannot understand you. I cannot understand translations. Say it to me, and we’ll put that fight together and we’ll make it happen. Any of those three. Tony Ferguson, Michael Chandler, Charles Oliveira, put your hand up, we’ll get in there. Who wants to get in there and compete?”