‘They want him to come in and seem like the man’

Dan Hooker thoroughly understands the position he’s in as he receives prepared to welcome Michael Chandler to the Octagon at UFC 257 on Jan. 23.

In September, it was announced that the previous three-time Bellator lightweight king in Chandler experienced signed with the UFC. To begin with performing as the backup to the title battle in between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje, “Iron Mike” now has a date with a “Hangman” to start off his new marketing tenure.

Owning been closely promoted and hyped as an rapid participant in the 155-pound ranks, Michael Chandler vs. Dan Hooker at UFC 257 looks to put each individual person in exclusive places. For Chandler, he could gain and get a title shot. Hooker, on the other hand, would spoil the get together and presumably drive himself again into rivalry.

When talking about why fellow top rated-rated lightweights these as Tony Ferguson, Charles Oliveira, and the aforementioned Gaethje didn’t want to experience Chandler, the Auckland indigenous expressed the pursuing.

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“I think they just desired to get him to a title shot as promptly as possible,” Hooker informed SCMP MMA. “Anyone that’s been subsequent the activity for a great sum of time is familiar with that threat lies in time. Father time in this activity is not your mate. They want him to come in and glance like the male, you know? So if he arrives in and he whitewashes a major 5, top rated 4, prime 3 opponent, then people today will commence heading, ‘Title shot, title shot, title shot,’

“Because like 95 percent of men and women that look at it are lazy. They’ll only observe the spotlight reel in the buildup to the fight so they’ll be like, ‘Whoa, he’s a former champ in another group? He arrived in and conquer a top 5. Now he’s preventing for a title!’ They are not gonna actually go again and watch his fights. There is like 5 per cent of individuals that actually examine the activity and genuinely view the activity and genuinely analysis the activity.

“The threat lies in having to the major 5,” Dan Hooker ongoing. “If you were to set him from any one else who’s arrive up in the UFC, like top rated 50, then a leading 30, then a top 20, then a leading 15-10… then his possibilities of shedding skyrocket exponentially. So the more rapidly they can get him to a title, the more quickly they could marketplace and sell him. To me, you are gonna give me the new toy? I’m gonna crack the new toy serious brief. They invested a full lot of funds to get this person out of his deal and get him above to the UFC and they are gonna toss him in with me who’s like a terrible stylistic matchup and I’m gonna split the toy in 5 minutes. It is like, yeah… I can’t say I come to feel sorry for them (laughs).”

Dan Hooker (20-9) past fought in June the place he and Dustin Poirier went to war for 5 straight rounds. Unable to arrive out with his hand raised, Hooker still left a lasting perception in a fight of the yr contender.

Michael Chandler’s (21-5) lone fight of 2020 observed him rematch former UFC and WEC titleholder Benson Henderson. Only needing two minutes and nine seconds, Chandler would set “Smooth” absent via knockout with punches in spherical a person.

This short article appeared 1st on BJPENN.COM