UFC: Dan Hooker reveals retirement plan to become a bare-knuckle boxing champion – at light heavyweight
- ‘The Hangman’ says unranked lightweight Haqparast is ‘going to have a problem’ at UFC 266
- Hooker insists he will be a bare-knuckle champion at 100 kilograms when he turns 40 years old – ‘you wait’
Dan Hooker avoided inactivity by taking a fight the UFC was not keen on putting together.
The No 8-ranked New Zealander (20-10) had looked up and down the lightweight rankings to find a dance partner, but to no avail. Eventually, the matchmakers landed on the unranked Nasrat Haqparast (13-3) and got the deal done for UFC 266 on September 25 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
After consecutive defeats by Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler, many expected “The Hangman” to fight another established force in the division, and he has faced some criticism since booking this match-up.
“They’re looking at it from the wrong perspective,” Hooker told the Post. “This was a nothing fight. This is not supposed to be a fight. I made the date and I made the UFC give me a fight. And I made the fight, so if I wasn’t Dan Hooker, this fight wouldn’t be happening.
“I feel like the true fans are just happy to see you get back in there. They’re saying, ‘Oh, it’s a big risk’. But I’m confident in my ability. I’m confident I’m the best fighter in the world, so that never crossed my mind.
