Dan Hooker will return to the octagon at UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi at the end of January. Photo / Getty Images
Dan Hooker will return to the octagon at UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi at the end of January. Photo / Getty Images
In the Covid-19 era of the UFC, opportunity is there for the taking, and it's something Kiwi lightweight star Dan Hooker is all too aware of.
Hooker will compete against Michael Chandler on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi at UFC 257 on January 24. The fight will be the co-mainevent, with Irish superstar Conor McGregor taking on former interim champion of the 155lbs (70.4kg) division Dustin Poirier in the main event.
In taking the fight, Hooker faces more than a month away from home. While his bout is a little more than two weeks away, he could not secure a quarantine voucher for his return to New Zealand prior to March.
It's a sacrifice, but puts him in position to potentially find himself in the cage across from McGregor if the originally scheduled bout falls through. The main event is a rematch from 2014, when McGregor beat Poirier by TKO in the first round, though that bout was at the lighter weight class of featherweight (66.7kg).
"I would be lying if I were to say that's not a big reason why I jumped on this fight," Hooker said of accepting the fight against Chandler.
"Imagine if they told you you'd have to go away for two months so you turn this fight down...if someone gets hurt in that main event and you miss that spot…I'd be kicking myself for the rest of my days.
"This is a game of opportunity. To play the McGregor roulette, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't going all in on that. If something happens and that fight opens up, I would jump on that fight in a heartbeat."
Conor McGregor will fight Dustin Poirier in the main event at UFC 257. Photo / Getty Images
While there has always been the risk of athletes getting injured and subsequently being forced to withdraw from bouts, the risk of having to withdraw due to contracting Covid-19 has meant opportunities have arisen for others on short notice.
More than 100 athletes made their UFC debuts in 2020, many of which were short-notice replacements after a fighter originally scheduled to compete was forced to pull out of their bout.
But while he's putting himself in a position to save the day if the main event falls through, Hooker was not overlooking the matchup posed by Chandler.
Chandler will make his UFC debut against No 6-ranked Hooker, joining the promotion after a long and decorated career with rival promotion Bellator. The 34-year-old American signed with the UFC last September and was immediately instated as the back-up option in case one of the fighters were forced out of Khabib Nurmagomedov's lightweight title defence against Justin Gaethje.
Chandler made the weight but was ultimately not required, and will instead be welcomed by Hooker – presenting another opportunity for the Kiwi to press his claims for a shot at the throne.
"The put him as the back-up for the title fight [between Khabib and Gaethje], that shows me they've put a lot of stock into him," Hooker said.
"To take him out puts me back in title contention."
