The Hangman Seeks High-Profile Opponents

Dan Hooker may only be a fight or two away from earning a title opportunity in the UFC’s lightweight division. It seems crazy to be writing that. The New Zealand native has always been a respected veteran fighter, but a recent three-fight winning streak has him climbing to No. 5 in the rankings.

The question is where should Hooker end up following his controversial split-decision win over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 304. He likely won’t be immediately next in line for a shot at Islam Makhachev, but MMAfighting latest news shows that Hooker could put himself in line after Arman Tsarukyan with another win over a top-five fighter.

The next question is, what fighter should be the next in Hooker’s path for a stunning run to the top? There are plenty of viable candidates for Hooker that should produce an exciting matchup.

Would Another War With Poirier Sell?

During the dark days of the pandemic, Hooker and former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier had a brutal war. There was no slowing down during a five-round slugfest in July 2020 that had the best MMA news site recognizing the bout as one of the best of the year. Both Poirier and Hooker attempted more than 280 strikes.

Each man landed more than 150 significant strikes. There were takedowns and submission attempts. It was a fun fight that cemented both as top contenders for the lightweight title.

Poirier would earn the opportunities. During Porier’s last fight, he lost via submission in the fifth round to Makhachev. It was Porier’s third unsuccessful attempt at grabbing the lightweight belt.

But Poirier doesn’t want to end his career. With Poirier being higher in the rankings, a fight between the two could make sense. But there is a thought that Poirier may be chasing another fight with Conor McGregor.

The best MMA news sites show that Poirier and McGregor have already fought three times. However, the last fight ended with McGregor suffering a leg injury. It is hard to say if McGregor is coming back, but that may be the big-money fight left for Poirier before he retires.

Can Hooker Handle a Grappler?

While Hooker’s grappling is much improved, the threat of having to deal with a wrestler is something that Hooker has shied away from for the majority of his career. He was submitted by Makhachev during a non-title meeting at UFC 267 in October 2021.

Hooker also seemed to be concerned with Michael Chandler’s grappling at UFC 257 and ended up suffering a first-round knockout loss. But recent performances show that his ground game has improved. If Hooker is going to fight someone higher in the rankings, a matchup with former champion Charles Oliveira would be a good fit.

Hooker and Oliveira have never fought. The UFC apparently also seems to like the matchup. But no one has signed on the dotted line yet. Hooker showed during his fight against Gamrot that he is more equipped now than ever to handle a strong wrestler.

Should Hooker Rematch Gamrot

Hooker is on an excellent run of performances. But they haven’t been perfect. Hooker’s last two wins came in split decisions over Gamrot and Jalin Turner. During Hooker’s win over Gamrot last time out, he held a 88-82 edge in total strikes.

When it came to significant strikes, Hooker had a slight 65-64 edge over Gamrot. Gamrot controlled the grappling aspect of the fight as expected. He landed five takedowns and attempted ten others.

While Gamrot didn’t do enough to control Hooker, it was a close fight. Many people believed Gamrot deserved the win. If the fight with Oliveira materializes, this could be a good option. 

While Hooker won the fight fair-and-square, it was interesting that Gamrot was willing to go to Australia and essentially fight in Hooker’s backyard. A rematch of this fight in Europe or the United States could provide a different result.

The crowd was largely in Hooker’s favor and could have had an impact on the judges with how they roared during the fight. It was a compelling matchup, and Gamrot going for revenge would make for a fun storyline. Hooker will have to want to go back and take on this challenge again to make it happen.

Dariush Would Be Good Striking Matchup

Beneil Dariush had rolled off eight consecutive victories. Then, in a flash, everything was gone. Dariush got steamrolled in consecutive fights by Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan. While Dariush is lower in the rankings than Hooker, he isn’t so far down the list that it would be perceived as a major step down.

Dariush is seventh, just two spots behind Hooker. If Hooker wants a splashy win for the highlight reel, Dariush always provides the opportunity for that for competent opponents. Dariush has lost by knockout five times in his career.

While Dariush also owns a win over Gamrot, there should be real questions about his chin. That’s perfect for Hooker, who prefers to be on his feet striking.

Hooker’s Next Step Will An Interesting One

Hooker looked like he was on the decline after losing four of five fights against top competition. The New Zealand striker has reinvented himself as a fighter who is willing to take on all challenges. While he may never be a perfect grappler, he has demonstrated an ability to get better and put on competent performances.

If Hooker can continue to build on that skill level, he may be able to make a run late in his career at a championship fight. Some fighters don’t get that opportunity until their late 30s. Glover Texiera took his whole career to reach the top before winning the light heavyweight title at age 40.

Hooker would like to find a similar trajectory. The Hangman isn’t done putting pressure on his opponents just yet.

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By Dean McHugh.