Hooker books a date with Burns
DAN Hooker has been rewarded for his spectacular run of stoppages with a call-up to one of the biggest UFC cards of the year.
The 28-year-old Auckland fighter has been booked to meet world-class Brazilian grappler Gilbert Burns at UFC 226 in Las Vegas on July 8 (NZT), which is headlined by the superfight between heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic and lightheavyweight titleholder Daniel Cormier.
Hooker (16-7) has been on a tear since moving up a weight class from featherweight last year, with three consecutive highlight-reel finishes to sit on the edge of the top 15 rankings.
He is coming off a stunning first-round KO of highly regarded veteran Jim Miller last month. But the short nature of the contest has left the ‘Hangman’ eager for a greater challenge.
Burns (14-2) certainly has the credentials to provide just that.
A four-time jiu-jitsu world champion, the 31-year-old has eight victories by submission.
But he is also no slouch on his feet, as shown in his last two appearances which were both won by KO.
‘‘He brings a lot of threats to the table so hopefully he can hang in there and give me the fight that I’ve come for,’’ Hooker told Stuff.
‘‘I like to go into fights and really test myself, really test my will. I want the other guy to stay in there and test his mettle as well so we can push each other to places that neither of us have been before.’’
It was widely expected that Hooker would be matched with a ranked opponent following the Miller victory and for his part, Hooker felt like he had earned a shot at one of the top-15.
A bout with No 14 Paul Felder seemed to gather steam after their ‘gentlemanly’ exchange in the octagon last month.
Hooker was also keen on a match-up with the 13th-ranked Alexander Hernandez. But with both men booked elsewhere, the Kiwi wasn’t about to wait around.
Burns is in a similar position to Hooker in the division so when the matchmakers proposed the fight, he jumped at the chance.
‘‘In a perfect world I would have a got a ranked opponent but it’s not something I’m set on,’’ Hooker said.
‘‘At the end of the day I come to fight, that’s how I pay my bills. The more active I can be the better. So I’m happy with how it played out. I’m happy with Gilbert as an opponent, he’s a world-class fighter.’’
UFC 226 is the culmination of the organisation’s annual International Fight Week.
With City Kickboxing training partner Israel Adesanya headlining The Ultimate Fighter Finale the night before against Brad Tavares, Hooker’s addition gives the week a strong Kiwi flavour.
Their elevation is a wonderful advertisement for New Zealand mixed martial arts and Hooker, who spent time training in the US and Asia earlier in his career, is relishing the chance to fly the flag alongside Adesanya.
‘‘I think it speaks volumes, the position we’ve got ourselves to in such a short space of time,’’ he said.
‘‘New Zealand is becoming a real force to be reckoned with.’’