'The Hangman' fires back at Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler… 'If you don't want to fight me again, then shut up'
04/09/2024 14:32
Dan 'The Hangman' Hooker catapulted himself back into title contention last month, and the New Zealander is keen to keep his name out of the mouths of those around him in the lightweight rankings.
Specifically, Dan Hooker took aim at two of the men who already hold wins over him in the UFC; declaring that they should refrain from mentioning him on social media unless they'd be willing to back their words up with the offer of a rematch.
Dan 'The Hangman' Hooker fires back at Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler
Following his outstanding decision victory over Mateusz Gamrot in Australia, Dan Hooker was catapulted back into title contention and at the time of writing, currently holds the #5 spot in the UFC lightweight rankings.
Having only fought once in 2024 so far, Hooker is targeting one more bout before the year's out – telling Combat TV how he's already getting bored of not having a fight to look forward to.
"I'll get another one in before the end of the year; I've had two weeks off and I'm bored, got nothing else to do so back in the gym this week, probably just show my face and get the body moving again, then get back to training in a week or two.”
Whilst Hooker is hopeful of getting another fight booked for December, he "couldn't care less" as to who that next opponent could be; explaining how he's learned from past mistakes and that he's now above the 'little name-calling game' of other fighters.
"Couldn't care less mate, don't care, don't want to know – that's a stupid game to me, it's whatever gets me the title shot [but] who that is, I couldn't care less… I'm not going to sit here and play the little name-calling game.
"It's whatever gets me the title shot, I want the belt so it’s whatever gets me the gold… The last time I was ranked number five, I made a series of stupid decisions just running in gung-ho and fighting anyone."
Yet 'The Hangman' was quick on the trigger as he fired back at those around him in the rankings for their reaction to his recapturing of the #5 spot – specifically Dustin 'The Diamond' Poirier and 'Iron' Michael Chandler.
"Chandler and Poirier are bragging about beating me [online] and it's like bro, you’re bragging about beating me on 3 weeks’ notice while I was training in my garage.
"Don’t say my name unless you’re going to run it back – keep my name out of your mouth unless you want to fight me again because I'm coming for all of them, anyone above me, I'm coming for the lot of them."
The message from Hooker was a simple one; Don't mention his name if you aren't willing to rematch him in the octagon and if not, he'll happily wave as he climbs past you in the rankings.
"If they want to brag about it, they can fight me again – if you don’t want to fight me again, then shut up about my name and I'll skip past you. I'll leave you be and then that's it, but unless Chandler and Poirier want to fight me again, just chill."
Hooker willing to 'snake' Conor McGregor fight from under Chandler
One man who wasn't mentioned by Hooker as a possible next opponent is the one and only Conor McGregor, although 'The Hangman' has already been honest about his desire to 'snake' that super-fight away from Michael Chandler.
Why McGregor? "Because I am an absolute troll," he told The Mac Life's Oscar Willis after his decision victory at UFC 305 in Perth.
"The biggest troll move you could do of all time is to snake that fight off Chandler. He waits all that time, and then Conor just fights me anyway.
"That would be gold. I would feel like the biggest snake troll of all time – I'd get my black belt in trollympics."
A reminder that following Hooker's win over Gamrot, he currently sits one place above Michael Chandler in the lightweight rankings and that the super-fight against McGregor has still not yet been officially re-booked by the promotion.
