Dan Hooker, the seasoned fighter from New Zealand, is far from hanging up his gloves. As International Fight Week kicks off, Hooker prepares for his second appearance at the annual summer event, UFC 290. Last year, he emerged victorious against Nasrat Haqparast under challenging circumstances on short notice. This time, Hooker aims to overcome rising lightweight contender Jalin Turner in Saturday night’s showdown.
Although originally scheduled to face Turner at UFC 285 in March, Hooker’s team had different plans for his return after recovering from a broken hand. Recounting the events, Hooker explained, “After I broke my hand and started easing back into training, my manager suggested fighting someone. I can’t recall who it was, but they were a top contender. I messaged him, saying, ‘What about this guy for the next fight?’ He replied, ‘Oh, we asked for Tony Ferguson.’ I was incredibly offended.” He chuckled as he recalled the moment that sparked his determination, adding, “That’s when I said, ‘No, forget this.’ Despite the doctors advising me to wait another month before resuming training, I said, ‘Screw that.’ The next day, I was back sparring because I was so fired up.”
Despite Hooker’s injury, the matchmakers decided to keep the Turner fight intact, while Ferguson was set to face Bobby Green at the end of the month. Interestingly, it was almost a year ago when Hooker expressed his desire to fight Ferguson. Since then, Hooker bounced back from a two-fight losing streak with an impressive performance against Claudio Puelles, securing a second-round body kick TKO. In contrast, Ferguson suffered his fifth consecutive defeat, succumbing to Nate Diaz’s fourth-round guillotine choke.
With 34 professional fights under his belt since debuting in 2009, the 33-year-old Hooker remains resolute in his pursuit of a title. He sees no value in wasting time fighting opponents who are not contenders. “That’s not what I want for myself. That’s not why I’m here,” Hooker emphasized. “I’m not interested in veteran versus veteran matchups. I’m here to become the best. I want to challenge myself against the world’s top fighters. That offense was the turning point. I dove right back into training, pushing myself harder than ever before. It was a real wake-up call. That’s not what excites me.”
“Once you mention ‘retirement,’ you’ve lost my interest,” Hooker continued. He contrasted his approach with that of other fighters, stating, “Some guys like ‘RDA’ (Rafael dos Anjos) have said, ‘I don’t have title aspirations anymore; I just want to spoil some contenders’ chances.’ But I want to fight title contenders. That’s why I’m here. That’s what motivates me to get out of bed in the morning—to be the best.”
TOP STORIES
- Max Holloway opens up about his challenging upbringing and the purpose behind sharing his story.
- Debating the biggest winners and losers of the year so far in the 2023 Mid-Year Awards.
- Jon Anik believes Yair Rodriguez will put up a competitive fight against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 290.
- Chael Sonnen recounts a period when he claims to have been deceived online, dubbing it a “catfishing” experience.
- Sergio Pettis overcomes mental health struggles for a triumphant comeback at Bellator 297.
Opportunity. Marlon Vera questions whether Sean O’Malley deserves a UFC title shot.
VIDEO STEW
- UFC 290 Embedded: Episode 1.
- Preview of Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez at UFC 290.
- UFC 1996.
- Free fight.
- Exciting rounds from the second half of PFL’s 2023 regular season.
- Deep Vs. Black Combat – Part 2.
- Unlocking Victory.
- DC shares his thoughts on Alexander Volkanovski.
History of International Fight Week.
Gaethje’s Road to Utah: Episode 3.
LISTEN UP
On To the Next One: MMA Hook’s Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss potential matchups after UFC Vegas 76.
MORNING MUSIC
Enjoy the tunes!
SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
- Positive reactions.
- Interesting developments.
- Unexpected outcomes.
- The ups and downs of the fight game.
- Classic moments with Jon Anik.
- Awesome content.
- Getting things started.
- Cheers to a great day.
FINAL THOUGHTS
To our American readers, have a safe and responsible celebration today!
Thank you for reading!
EXIT POLL
Poll: Who do you think will win this weekend, Dan Hooker or Jalin Turner?
If you have any suggestions for future Morning Report content, reach out to @DrakeRiggs_ on Twitter. Don’t forget to follow MMAFighting on Instagram and like us on Facebook.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about motivation
Q: What sparked Dan Hooker’s motivation for his upcoming fight?
A: Dan Hooker’s motivation was ignited when his manager suggested a non-contender opponent, leading him to be “so f****** offended.” This fueled his determination to fight top contenders and become the best.
Q: Who is Dan Hooker set to fight at UFC 290?
A: Dan Hooker is scheduled to face Jalin Turner in his upcoming bout at UFC 290.
Q: How did Dan Hooker respond to his manager’s suggestion?
A: Dan Hooker responded to his manager’s suggestion by immediately diving back into training, defying medical advice to wait for his injured hand to heal. He sparred the next day, fueled by his offense at the proposed matchup.
Q: What is Dan Hooker’s stance on fighting non-contenders?
A: Dan Hooker is not interested in fighting non-contenders. He aims to challenge himself against the best fighters in the world and has no desire for veteran versus veteran matchups. His goal is to fight title contenders and be the best in his division.
Q: What was the outcome of Dan Hooker’s previous fight against Claudio Puelles?
A: Dan Hooker secured a second-round body kick TKO victory against Claudio Puelles in his previous fight, snapping a two-fight losing streak.
Q: How long has Dan Hooker been competing professionally?
A: Dan Hooker has been competing professionally since 2009 and has accumulated 34 fights in his career so far.
More about motivation
- Submission Radio
- UFC 290
- Nasrat Haqparast
- Jalin Turner
- Tony Ferguson
- Bobby Green
- Claudio Puelles
- Nate Diaz
- Rafael dos Anjos
- International Fight Week
- Bellator 297
3 comments
man, i can’t believe hooker went against the doctors’ advice and sparred with a broken hand. talk about dedication! that offense really sparked something in him. he’s got that fire to be the best and fight those title contenders. no retirement talk for hooker, he’s all about the gold!
dan hooker is a beast! i love how he got all fired up when his manager suggested a non-contender fight. like, who does that? he’s all about fighting the best guys in the world and becoming the best himself. can’t wait to see him in action at ufc 290!
lol dan hooker’s manager asked for tony ferguson and he got so f***ing offended. that’s some serious motivation right there. hooker’s gonna show everyone why he’s not interested in fighting non-contenders. he’s here to challenge the best and be the best. ufc 290 is gonna be lit!