PERTH, Australia – There’s a quite simple motive Dan Hooker loves the matchup he has Saturday.
It’s a numbers recreation, and so far as Hooker is worried, he desires to play the Mateusz Gamrot recreation as a result of there’s nothing silly in regards to the prizes that would consequence from a win.
Hooker (23-12 MMA, 13-8 UFC) takes on Gamrot (24-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) within the featured bout spot on the UFC 305 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) predominant card at RAC Area in Perth, Australia, and there’s no mistaking his intentions.
“I really like him, bubba,” Hooker stated at Thursday’s media day for the occasion in Perth. “I really like that attractive little quantity he’s bought subsequent to his identify. That’s all I’m coming for.”
Gamrot at present sits at No. 5 within the UFC’s official light-weight rankings. Hooker is again in the course of the pack at No. 11. Arman Tsarukyan will take a shot at champ Islam Makhachev subsequent, and the same old suspects like Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler are among the many 155-pounders lurking on the high.
If it looks like Hooker has been across the UFC proverbially perpetually, it’s as a result of he virtually has been. He handed the 10-year service mark within the firm earlier this 12 months. And whereas he’s lengthy been a contender, he hasn’t gotten over the hump within the large ones but.
Working example, after a four-fight profitable streak of finishes in 2017-2018, he misplaced to Edson Barboza. He constructed again up with three extra wins, however then dropped fights to Poirier and Chandler. after a bounce-back towards Nasrat Haqparast, he misplaced to Makhachev on his strategy to the title, then Arnold Allen.
However in late 2022, the New Zealander thrilled the group on the Madison Sq. Backyard fight sports activities mecca with a body-kick knockout of Claudio Puelles. And in July 2023, he took a break up name from Jalin Turner in a battle he saved regardless of Turner’s missed weight.
As a result of he appears like he’s had little or no introduction to high-level MMA earlier than he was thrown into the deep finish, Hooker thinks the world is about to see the puzzle items lastly in place.
“I’ve needed to do my growth towards the very best guys on the earth,” Hooker stated. “You’re clearly attempting new issues … I’ve simply always been engaged on issues, and I really feel like all the things’s simply coming collectively now the place the place I can showcase a completed product.
“I really feel like I simply bought good within the final 12 months. So it’s like, ‘Effectively, I’m going to stop now after I simply bought good’ – it doesn’t make any sense.”
That’s why Hooker didn’t let a damaged arm late final 12 months derail him an excessive amount of, because it occurred proper after he had a principally full coaching camp for King Inexperienced. To run his profitable streak to a few and keep within the image and not using a setback, although, he’ll have to come back via as a much bigger betting underdog than he’s ever been.
Try Hooker’s full media day interview above.
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