Dan Hooker explained the training video with Israel Adesanya that went viral recently.
At UFC 276, Israel Adesanya will return to action against Jared Cannonier. Ahead of the upcoming bout, Dan Hooker has been helping his fellow Kiwi prepare. A training video showing Hooker thrashing Adesanya in a ground and pound drill went viral.
Now, Hooker has shared the insight behind the clip.
Dan Hooker explains viral training video with Israel Adesanya
In an interview with Submission Radio, ‘Hangman’ described what was going on in the footage. The men were working on Spyda, a special drill down under used to simulate actual fight conditions.
“Obviously, he’s getting shark tanked. That’s definitely not like sparring or anything like that. It’s like simulating a fight. Me, as a training partner, I’m trying to spike his adrenaline, I’m trying to get him fired up, get under his skin and get some adrenaline pumping.
“That’s the real objective of it, it’s not like super skillful or him being technical. It can just be taken out of context. My job as a training partner is to get under his skin, to push him, and push my teammates when they don’t want to be pushed.”
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Hooker thinks “it’s a cakewalk” for Izzy at UFC 276
When asked to share his thoughts on the fight, Hooker backed Adesanya. He explained the physical features that separate the dominant middleweight king from the rest of the division.
“He’s just too quick, bro. He’s built different for that weight class, he’s not going to stand there and trade shots with you. That’s what these other guys have been successful in. Anyone can show their power if the guy’s not moving but the way Israel moves, the speed, the length, it’s just too much.”
UFC Featherweight king Alex Volkanovski is on the same card as the co-main event opposite Max Holloway. Hooker is excited to see how that fight plays out as well as Kai Kara-France’s upcoming bout with Brandon Moreno at UFC 277.
As for Adesanya’s upcoming bout with Jared Cannonier, Hooker thinks that it’s going to be an easy day of work for ‘Stylebender’
“I’m excited for (Kai Kara) France’s fight, I’m excited for Volk’s fight but (for Izzy’s bout) I think it’s a cakewalk, that’s my honest opinion of the fight.”
“I just don’t see a way that Cannonier can get it done. Obviously, people bring up like ‘oh, the guy really believes in himself.’ You can believe in yourself all you want to believe in yourself but that’s not going to make you any faster, it’s not going to make your arms any longer.”
Israel Adesanya will take on Jared Cannonier at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, NV on July 2 at UFC 276.
