Hooker off to ‘Fight Island’ for latest UFC showdown
Kiwi lightweight star Dan Hooker’s showdown against former Bellator world champion Michael Chandler has been confirmed by the UFC, with the much-anticipated bout to serve as the co-main event at UFC
257 in Abu Dhabi on January 24 .
The card is headlined by the return of Irish superstar Conor McGregor in a rematch against Dustin Poirier, providing a huge platform for the sixthranked Hooker to make yet another statement in the stacked division.
The event caps off a trio of shows for the UFC’s third stint at ‘Fight Island’, which the promotion set up in the capital of the United Arab Emirates for international athletes to compete during the pandemic.
Hooker (20-9) has been given the task of welcoming the highly-regarded Chandler (21-5) to the UFC after the 34-year-old American switched from rival promotion Bellator last year.
The UFC wasted no time pushing their latest high-profile signing, naming Chandler a backup role for last October’s title fight between the recently retired Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje. With Nurmagomedov vacating the belt after his victory, the winner of McGregorPoirier will almost certainly lock up one of the two spots available to determine the next champion.
And whoever has their hand raised between Hooker and Chandler will be right in the mix to join them, alongside Gaethje and red-hot Brazilian Charles Oliveira. Hooker joins City Kickboxing team-mate and UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in confirming their first assignments for 2021. Adesanya will attempt to become a two-weight champion when he meets light-heavyweight title-holder Jan Blachowicz on March 7 .
More announcements are expected from the Auckland gym, with lightweight Brad Riddell eyeing a date in February, while flyweight Kai Kara-France is close to finalising a bout after signing a new fourfight deal with the UFC.
Exciting newcomer Carlos Ulberg is also in line to make his promotional debut after earning a contract via a stunning first-round knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series last November.
Khabib