Dan Hooker Doing ‘A Little Test Run’ For Featherweight Return

Dan Hooker reveals that he is considering a return to featherweight, discusses the lightweight title picture

Dan Hooker
Photo via Instagram @danhangman

Dan Hooker is one of the best lightweights in the world. However, after some disappointing results, he is considering a return to the featherweight division, moving forward.

With the run of crazy fights that he has had at lightweight, it is easy to forget that Hooker started his UFC career at featherweight. His first six fights in the promotion took place at 145lb, including bouts with the likes of Yair Rodriguez and Hick Diaz himself, Jason Knight.

While he has had a far more successful time at lightweight, he has hit a rough patch, losing three of his last four, to the best the division has to offer. So, as he explained to The Mac Life, he will be working with UFC dietitians, and considering a move back down to 145lb.

“I’m doing a little something something at the moment. Gotta make your next move, your best move. Let’s just say I’m working with the UFC and fight dietician very closely, and I’m doing a little test run, and we’ll see,” Hooker said.

Islam Makhachev Should Wait

While Dan Hooker is looking to change divisions, he has had a big impact in the lightweight division recently. Namely, he is coming off of a loss to Islam Makhachev that has many people thinking the Khabib Nurmagomedov protege should fight for a title next.

The only problem with that idea, is the fact that Justin Gaethje is higher in the rankings and is coming off of an exciting win of his own, over Michael Chandler. Dan says that Justin should get the title shot against the winner of the UFC 269 main event, but that Islam should just wait for that to happen, since nobody else would make sense.

“I feel like (Islam) could just sit and wait, if he wanted to. I feel like he could, because even if he’s not next, he lets Justin fight the winner of Oliveira/Poirier, then after that, like who’s next?” Hooker said.

Dan Hooker Says Beneil Dariush Is The Best Lightweight

While the title is being contested by the top lightweights in the world at UFC 269, there are a lot of talent in the top five, as evidenced by Justin Gaethje and Islam Makhachev. However, Dan Hooker says that there is another top five fighter who may be better than all of them.

He says that Beneil Dariush is technically the best fighter in the top five of the lightweight division. The only problem, is that Dan does not think Beneil is very marketable, leaving him as the odd man out in these equations.

“Beneil is like the worst in the best way. In my personal opinion, Beneil Dariush is the best, technically, in the top five. That’s my personal opinion. Top five to champion, I feel like Beneil Dariush is the best, with like the least — because he’s the nicest guy in the world — the least marketability, and the least ability to sell a fight,” Hooker said.

It will be interesting to see where Dan Hooker goes from here, and if he returns to featherweight. Either way, he will never cease to be a tough out for anyone in front of him.

Published on November 19, 2021 at 4:02 pm
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