UFC favorite Dan Hooker reveals he ‘Sold his title shot’ following massive run at lightweight
Perennial lightweight contender, Dan Hooker has claimed he “sold” his title shot at 155lbs in search of more money following a run of massive fights in the last five years, culminating in a dominant submission loss to current titleholder, Islam Makhachev in Abu Dhabi.
Hooker, the current number six ranked lightweight contender has been sidelined since August, most recently turning in a close decision win over Polish challenger, Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305 in Australia, extending his winning run to three straight fights.
Returning to the winner’s enclosure with a body kick knockout win over Peruvian grappler, Claudio Puelles following a brief featherweight excursion, Kiwi striking favorite, Dan Hooker would then best Jalin Turner in a decision success prior to his win over Gamrot last summer.
Dan Hooker claims he “sold” his shot at the lightweight title back in 2021
Linked with a massive return fight in the coming months — after finding himself tied to a pairing with former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor, Hooker revealed following a massive headliner with Dustin Poirier and Islam Makhachev back in 2021, he was in line for a shot at the crown, however, “sold” it in order to take on the Russian on short-notice.
“It’s just different stages of your career, like at that stage of my career I just wanted money,” Dan Hooker said during an interview with David Adesanya. “They [the UFC] capitalized on that, and I sold my title shot. At the end of the day, that’s what it came down to… I just wanted money, then I got money, and I was like ‘Well this isn’t cool, I want a world title’ – [and] you can’t trade money for a world title at the end of the day.”
“It’s like you’ve got to constantly set yourself new goals… Early on in your career, you say, ‘I want to be a UFC fighter’ and then you become a UFC fighter and you’re like ‘Well this isn’t it, I want to be a ranked UFC fighter’ – and then you become ranked, but you want more.
During his lengthy tenure in the Octagon, City Kickboxing star, Hooker has racked up notable wins over the likes of Ross Pearson, Gilbert Burns, Jim Miller, James Vick, Al Iaquinta, Paul Felder, and Nasrat Haqparast.
