Morning Report: Dan Hooker explains extent of injury, targets return at UFC 300
22/11/2023 14:00
Dan Hooker's return to action at UFC Austin was within reach.
The UFC is back in Austin, Tex. next Saturday night for a stellar final Fight Night event of 2023. Lightweights take center stage in the headliner slot when top-ranked contenders Beneil Dariush and Arman Tsarukyan collide. Despite not being for a title or the main event, Hooker's originally booked co-main event against Bobby Green was also set for five rounds until "The Hangman" suffered an injury on Monday.
Hooker's injury extends from his broken arm suffered in his last victory against Jalin Turner by split decision at UFC 290 in July. The New Zealand native admits he knew he was rushing back into another fight and ultimately, one wrongly blocked kick led to the re-injury.
"Sparring yesterday, blocked a bit of a kick, went in for an X-ray, she's custered," Hooker told Submission Radio. "Just broke in the same place. It kind of is what it is.
"I took a risk. I obviously was coming back a little quicker than ... yeah, it's all on me, brother. I rushed to come back. I wanted to fight and I knew the risk of coming back that quickly and we rolled the dice, we come up snake eyes, baby."
The backend of 2022 to mid-2023 has been a resurgent campaign for Hooker, who's gotten back on a winning streak with his aforementioned win over Turner after a strong second-round TKO against Claudio Puelles. Having to withdraw just one week from fight week makes the pill all the harder to swallow.
"I could smell it, I could taste it, I could feel the crowd," Hooker said. "I was on fire. When you get that close, you can taste the air of the arena, you can put your being in there, you can feel how it's gonna play out and to be that close and not get it is ... but hey. It just makes you hungrier for the next one.
"I took a risk, I'll just go back, get it healed properly, and I'll be back. UFC 300's in five months. That's a good target. Everything happens for a reason. That one wasn't meant to be. That's a comfortable target for three months of rehab and the training camp so onto the future."
A new opponent is being looked at for Green with Hooker sidelined. On a roll of his own in recent outings, Green intends to keep his momentum going sooner rather than later. Therefore, Hooker doesn't expect the "King" matchup to await him once fully recovered.
"You can't expect anyone to wait around in this sport," Hooker said. "When you're injured, you can't call your shots. When you're healthy, you can get out there and start naming names, which I'm not shy about, but now I'm like, he's obviously gonna fight someone else and move on with wherever he's going. We'll reassess it in a couple of months when I'm back training at 100 percent."
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VIDEO STEW
Fights We're Thankful For.
Road to the Championship.
Powerhouse Playback: Brown vs. VanHoose.
Adesanya vs. Jones.
Fancy mounted guillotine.
LISTEN UP
Heck of a Morning. MMA Fighting's Mike Heck discusses if Dana White is losing any sleep over PFL-Bellator merger.
MORNING MUSIC
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Curveball.
I would like to welcome you to LHW division ⚡️
— Jiri BJP Prochazka (@jiri_bjp) November 21, 2023
Respects.
I was wrong about @DonnDavisPFL I thought because he came from outside the fight world he wouldn't be able to accomplish much. Wrong. He has upended the business.
— Campbell McLaren (@campbellcombate) November 21, 2023
D'oh!
How come? Let's figure this out.
— Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) November 21, 2023
Quite the throwbacks.
Larissa Pacheco knocking out Irene Aldana in 2013
— Alex Behunin (@AlexBehunin) November 21, 2023
I remember how badass Machida and Thiago Silva were when they faced off as undefeated prospects. Light heavyweight is a whole new animal in 2023.
— Dan (@BestFightPicks) November 21, 2023
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rayanne Dos Santos (14-6) vs. Talita Alencar (4-0-1);UFC Vegas 83, Dec. 9
Zhang Mingyang (16-6) vs. Brendson Ribeiro (15-5);UFC 298, Feb. 17
FINAL THOUGHTS
If Khamzat Chimaev goes up another weight class, I will have no words but I think I'd love it. And for a fight with Jiri Prochazka...? Break out the hose.
Thanks for reading!
EXIT POLL
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