The popular UFC light weight then 'The Hangman' Hooker is on the way to recovery after surgery of the injury that unfortunately forced him from UFC 313.
'The Hangman' was originally intended to face 'the highlight' in the Co-Main event of this weekend in Las Vegas; Copied by Alex Pereira vs Magomed Ankalaev.
Unfortunately, the popular New Zealander suffered a painful injury in the training that unfortunately forced him from his all-violence UFC 313 showcase is that he is now on his way to recovery.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty images
Then Hooker undergoes surgery after he is sidelined with injury
Last week, posted in a vlog by Dan Hooker's daughter Zoe to YouTube, the UFC veteran confirmed that he “had caught his leg” in the training, ie had suffered a break in his left hand.
“One of the legs is not doing so well,” Hooker later explained to Sky Sport NZ and showed off the cameras with his seriously swollen hand.
“Last night, like me, I just let it go, just throwing some bombs down and one of the boys on the dome caught with my knuckle … Had a small CT scan and they told me that my hand was broken.”
“I would clearly still fight [if they’d let me]'Laughed the promotional veteran, who has since confirmed that he has already undergone surgery to correct the fracture.
In an Instagram post that was shared yesterday morning, Hooker can be seen in a hospital bed with his hand packed in a thick brace and the caption “BRB” – so when is 'The hangman' ready to return?
“Justin Gaethje is probably not going to wait that long,” hooker admitted in the Sky Sport NZ interview, before he revealed that the plan is to go back to the UFC Octagon during the International Fight Week.
“That is June, back in Las Vegas, so that is not too far away … I expected to erect a pretty considerable damage in this fight and to recover for a while [anyway].
“So by the time the international fighting week comes, it is only a small fracture in my hand and we will get it sorted as quickly as possible and be back in no time.”
Justin Gaethje stays on the UFC 313 card while 'Ataman' steps in the short term
One piece of good news that comes from Hooker's injuries is that Justin Gaethje will keep his place on UFC 313 and now that it takes on Rafael 'Ataman' Fiziev in a Co-Main event with three laps.
Both athletes will be looking to come back in the profit column; After having dropped the results in their last respective battles to have Mateusz Gamrot (def. Fiziev via TKO) and Max Holloway (Def. Gaethje via KO).
UFC 313 will be the second time that Gaethje and Fiziev have locked the Hoorns in the Octagon, with 'the highlight' that he had hardly squeaked along the Azeri at UFC 286 in March 2023.
Although it is a pity that we do not get the Hooker vs Gaethje fight as expected; The incoming Fiziev Rematch is a solid replacement for this new UFC 313 head card.
- Alex Pereira vs Magomed Ankalaev (LHW Title Bout)
- Justin Gaethje vs Rafael Fiziev
- Jalin Turner vs Ignacio Bahamonds
- Amanda Lemos vs Iasmin Lucindo
- King Green vs Mauricio Ruffy
UFC 313: Pereira vs Ankalaev will go live from Las Vegas on Saturday 8 March.
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