Dan Hooker wants that Arman Tsarukyan smoke.
LAS VEGAS – Good news for MMA fans: Dan Hooker has a timeline for his octagon return.
The fan-favorite UFC lightweight is recovering well from his hand injury and expects to be fighting again sometime in October or November, Hooker told MMA Junkie Radio at UFC X. Hooker was scheduled to fight Justin Gaethje earlier this year at UFC 313 in March, but he fractured his hand in training and was forced to withdraw from the bout. Hokker is almost in the clear, and is eager to fight again.
“I think I’ll be good to go in October, November,” Hooker said. “I think Gaethje is just going to sit and wait for another title shot. It would be silly to come and fight another contender, but that’s what’s so interesting about the division now. The title is moving, and over the next couple of months there’s going to be a lot of movement in the division. It’s good.”
Hooker expects Gaethje to sit out and campaign for a title shot against the newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, making the re-booking of their fight unlikely, at least for the time being. Ideally, Hooker woould like to fight Arman Tsarukyan, also a top contender in the division.
“Arman has been calling me out, and that’s the No. 1 contender,” Hooker said. “No one likes the guy, so I’d just like to kick his teeth in.”
Tsarukyan is one of the tougher fights in the division, and considered by many the best grappler in the weight class. When asked why he’d want such a tough stylistic matchup, and likely less exciting than the Gaethje fight, Hooker had quite the response.
“I don’t give a f*ck,” Hooker said. “Mine was exciting, the (Mateusz) Gamrot fight, because I was able to get up. If they can just hold you down and make it a boring fight, then that’s my fault. But because my counter-wrestling is of that level and people just can’t hold me down, and I’m able to scramble up to my feet, that’s what makes the fight exciting.”
