Dan Hooker Sidelined By Brutal Injury

Dan Hooker was scheduled to face fellow Lightweight contender Justin Gaethje in a guaranteed banger at UFC 313. However, 11 days before the event, he withdrew from the fight with a broken hand. Despite the disappointing news, UFC found a late-notice replacement for Gaethje in Rafael Fiziev. The rematch was an exciting firefight that almost made up for scrapping the initial bout with Hooker. Gaethje won the fight via unanimous decision, in a war that played out similarly to the first, with Fiziev coming out hot and taking the first round before fading later into the match.

The win sets Justin Gaethje up for a big fight; if he gets his wish it may be for the Lightweight Championship. However, Dan Hooker is in limbo as he takes time to heal from his injury. “The Hangman” is the #6 Lightweight in the world, and has won his last 3 fights, most recently in a grisly split decision win over Mateusz Gamrot. For now, he will have to watch as the division rolls along without him. However, Hooker is hopeful that he’ll make his return to the octagon sooner rather than later.

Hooker Gives Status Report on Broken Hand

On March 11, Dan Hooker posted on Instagram to show how the healing process is coming along. The post showed stitches being removed from his atrociously swollen hand. This indicates that as previously reported, he has undergone successful surgery to repair the break. Injuries of this nature typically take a bare minimum of three months to heal, and it will remain to be seen if he becomes more prone to breaks as his career continues. However, it seems likely that he could return by the end of the year.

Despite promising indications, the 155-pound rankings could shuffle drastically in that span. Justin Gaethje and Arman Tsarukyan are both angling for title shots. Ilia Topuria has made his ambitions very plain since relinquishing his Featherweight belt to move up to Lightweight. Michael Chandler and Paddy Pimblett are scheduled to fight in one month at UFC 314, and an exciting win could propel either man into the picture. However, that is likely to be largely irrelevant to Dan Hooker. He’s a true warrior who will take on anyone at any time. Sometimes it even seems as though he’d do it for free.

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