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After returning to the winner’s circle late final 12 months, UFC light-weight contender Dan Hooker is at present gearing as much as make the stroll to the Octagon for the primary time in 2023.
On a stacked UFC 290 pay-per-view major card, which incorporates two championship fights and a title eliminator at middleweight, Hooker will share the cage with the extremely touted Jalin Turner.
However whereas his sights are set on “The Tarantula” for this Saturday, “The Hangman” has made headlines throughout combat week for his remarks a couple of totally different athlete — former interim champion Tony Ferguson.
Whereas speaking to Submission Radio, Hooker recalled his bemused response to his staff’s try and push for a combat in opposition to “El Cucuy.” The New Zealander went so far as to state that he was “offended” by the transfer, insisting that he is not able to function in veteran vs. veteran fights.
Following the numerous protection the remarks obtained, Hooker tried to make clear his take, however in the end ended up doubling down on it.
Hooker Would not Count on Ferguson To ‘Show Himself’ In opposition to Inexperienced
Throughout a latest episode of Pub Discuss with TheMacLife’s Oscar Willis, Hooker implied that his feedback had been over exaggerated. He acknowledged {that a} contest with Ferguson can be a “nice combat,” however famous that he has greater ambitions.
However though “The Hangman” advised that a victory over Bobby Green later this month at UFC 291 would maybe change his stance on throwing down with “El Cucuy,” he gave a lower than optimistic view on the probabilities of that coming to fruition.
“I do not assume I really meant how they trimmed it down,” Hooker stated. “I assume it is the con of actually going on the market, doing interviews, and talking your thoughts… That was simply the sincere approach I felt… That is an awesome combat, he is an enormous title. However that is my sincere analysis… My staff stated they requested for Tony Ferguson, and I used to be like, ‘That is the place you assume I am at? You assume I am unfit and being a chunk of sh*t? I am going to present you ways good I could be.’
“I am not joyful simply being a ‘enjoyable fighter,’ placing on enjoyable fights. I am keen to combat contenders, I am keen to combat Jalin Turners, I am keen to combat guys within the prime 10; these are the blokes that I need to compete with,” Hooker continued. “(Combating Ferguson is) simply not the place I see myself… If Tony Ferguson beats Bobby Inexperienced, which I do not assume he’ll, then it is like, he is confirmed himself… Do I see Tony Ferguson beating him? No, I see Bobby Inexperienced beating the dogsh*t out of him — no offense!”
Whereas Hooker will be in action this weekend as he pursues a first win streak since 2020 and a return to contention at 155 pounds, Ferguson will head to Utah three weeks later in quest of a long-awaited bounce-back efficiency,
“El Cucuy,” who was driving a prolonged 12-fight successful run previous to his defeat to Justin Gaethje, has now misplaced 5 outings in a row. In 2022, he was brutally knocked out by Michael Chandler earlier than being submitted by the departing Nate Diaz in a welterweight transfer 4 months later.
🪄💨🍃 -CSO- 🇺🇸🏆🇲🇽 #ufc291 # Snap’d pic.twitter.com/jbNFQ2OY62
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) June 25, 2023
- Learn Additionally: Dan Hooker Open To Facing ‘F**king Dweeb’ Arman Tsarukyan With A Win Over Jalin Turner
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