UFC: Dan Hooker on Michael Chandler fight – ‘I’m gonna break the new toy real quick’
- ‘Hangman’ Hooker plans to ‘throw a few landmines down there, see what he runs into’ in UFC 257 co-main event
- Kiwi feels UFC is prematurely pushing former Bellator champ towards lightweight title and vows to spoil the party
Dan Hooker is driven to spoil the party at UFC 257.
After weeks of negotiation, UFC lightweight contender Hooker (20-9) has finally put pen to paper and will fight former Bellator champion Michael Chandler (21-5) in the co-main event on January 23 in Abu Dhabi.
The 34-year-old American Chandler played backup for the lightweight title fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje on Fight Island at UFC 254 in October, which exhibited his high standing despite only signing with the promotion a month earlier.
“The quicker they can get him to the title, the quicker they can market him and sell him,” No 6-ranked Hooker told SCMP MMA. “They’re gonna give me the new toy. I’m gonna break the new toy real quick.”
“Father time in this sport is not your friend,” the 30-year old New Zealand native added. “They want him to come in and look like the man. So if he whitewashes a top five, top four, top three opponent, then people will start saying, ‘title shot’.