What's going on?
Just a month after his most recent UFC win, Kiwi lightweight contender Dan Hooker gets right back to work with a pivotal matchup at the top end of the division at UFC 267 this weekend. The current No6-ranked lightweight will square off against No5 Islam Makhachev, looking to put a halt to the hype train and punch his own ticket to a title shot.
It's a big opportunity for Hooker (21-10), who gets to go into the bout as a sizeable underdog with the bookies against a fighter many believe is a future champion. Part of that comes from who he is surrounded by, with Makhachev (20-1) having trained alongside former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov for much of his career, and part of it comes from how dominant his outings in the UFC have been. With Nurmagomedov now retired, Makhachev is now seen by many as his successor.
A fighter who relies primarily on his wrestling, the Russian has, for the most part, been able to drag his opponents to the canvas where he is able to hold them on his way to what is usually a lopsided decision – though he has shown his ability to finish opponents as well. His sole loss was by knockout back in 2015 in his second UFC appearance. Since then, he has won eight straight. However, despite being ranked inside the top 5 of the division, Makhachev has never fought anyone inside the top 10 and faces his first major test with the promotion in Hooker.
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Advertise with NZME.The Kiwi might be heavily overlooked by the bookies as one of the largest betting outsiders on the card, but he is very much a live underdog. Hooker will have a clear advantage in the striking exchanges, and is well-equipped to deal with a wrestling-heavy approach as he is comfortable fighting with his back to the cage, can threaten with attacks on Makhachev's takedown entries, and has a strong submission game. That said, how Hooker reacts if (read: when) Makhachev does take him down will be telling in how the bout plays out.
An intriguing test for both fighters, the winner is sure to have a strong claim to a title shot next.
When is it happening?
The card goes down on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi on Sunday morning (NZ time), with the earliest of the action getting underway around 3.30am. Hooker is in one of the final fights of the event, and is expected to be in the octagon around 8.30am.
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Advertise with NZME.What other bouts on the card should I watch?
There is a whole lot to like at UFC 267 – with two title fights at the top end of the card. Light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, who made his first defence against Israel Adesanya earlier this year, meets Brazil's Glover Teixeira in the main event in a battle of fan favourites. The co-main event sees bantamweight stars Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen duke it out for the interim title. The bout was initially scheduled to be Yan against reigning champion Aljamain Sterling in a rematch of their bout in March which saw Yan lose the title via DQ, however Sterling was not cleared to compete due to a neck injury, so an interim champion will be found in the meantime.
Also on the main card, rising prospect Khamzat Chimaev makes his return after a long Covid-enforced break against No11 ranked welterweight Li Jingliang. Chimaev made waves in the UFC in 2020 with three stoppage wins in as many months – two coming within 10 days of one another. Like Makhachev against Hooker, Chimaev sees a stark step up in competition against Jingliang – a well-rounded Chinese fighter who has won three of his last four bouts – all via knockout.
For those early birds looking for something earlier on the card – and not on the pay-per-view section – the strawweight clash between Amanda Ribas and Virna Jandiroba has all the indications of being a grappler's delight, while Makwan Amirkhani and Lerone Murphy look set to put on an early fight of the night contender.
From top to bottom, the card is stacked. It's a shame the time differences have it starting at 3.30am NZ time, but what can you do.
How do I watch?
The first of the prelims will be on UFC Fight Pass, the promotion's subscription-based streaming service, with ESPN coverage beginning at 5am.
The main card, featuring Dan Hooker, will be on Sky Arena, Sky Sport Now and Spark Sport pay-per-view for $39.95. Yes, despite what you might have heard – this card is in fact a pay-per-view. US viewers who subscribe to ESPN+ are getting it at no extra charge, but that isn't the story elsewhere in the world.
Tale of the tape: Hooker v Makhachev
Age: 31 | 30
Record: 21-10 | 20-1
Wins via stoppage: 17 (10 KO/TKO, 7 submission) | 12 (nine submission, 3 KO/TKO)
Height: 183cm | 178cm
Reach: 191cm | 179cm
TAB odds: $4.50 | $1.20
