Dan Hooker Explains Dustin Poirier Callout, Talks Justin Gaethje, Donald Cerrone As Options
Lightweight contender Dan Hooker called out Dustin Poirier following UFC 243 this past weekend. But there are other options as well.
Hooker got the biggest win of his career after comfortably outpointing Al Iaquinta in the UFC 243 co-main event. Following the victory, he wasted no time in calling out Poirier for a fight to take place in New Zealand next year.
So why “The Diamond”? Simply because he was the highest-ranked guy available:
“He’s the highest-ranked guy and I just beat the No. 6 in the world in pretty convincing fashion,” Hooker said on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show on Monday. “He’s coming off a loss, he doesn’t have a fight so he’s the highest-ranked guy that doesn’t have a fight. I’ll start my way into the top. He’s No. 2 so I’ll start there.”
Poirier would respond on social media saying he was waiting for Conor McGregor. For Hooker, his attention would then turn to Justin Gaethje. However, he believes he would get the same answer:
“But then who do I ask next? Who’s next on the list? If you work your way down, then you got Justin Gaethje,” Hooker added. “What’s he going to say when I ask him? He’s going to say the exact same thing Dustin Poirier just said. He’s going to say ‘I’m waiting for the Irishman, I’m waiting for Conor McGregor.’ Well you can’t both be waiting for Conor McGregor. Poirier and Gaethje can’t both fight him. One of you have to fight me.”
Poirier also suggested for Hooker to face Donald Cerrone instead. While “The Hangman” loves that fight and is sure “Cowboy” would accept, he believes it’s bad form to call out a guy on a losing streak:
“I love that fight,” he added. “Cowboy is a f*cking gangster. I’m certain that Cowboy will take the fight. 100 percent Cowboy will accept that fight. But just as principle, I’m not going to go out there and call a guy who is coming off a knockout loss. It’s bad form.
“If he wants to fight and he says he’s healthy, ready to go, mix it up with me, then 100 percent, we can put the fight together and we can make the fight. But I feel like it’s bad form. He just got knocked out, he needs time to let that recover. It’s his call. I want him to be back at 100 percent when we mix it up one day.”
Who do you think Hooker should face next?
