Dan Hooker will take on Islam Makhachev at UFC 267 this weekend. Photo / Getty Images
Dan Hooker will take on Islam Makhachev at UFC 267 this weekend. Photo / Getty Images
Dan Hooker is returning to his roots.
Over the past few years, the Kiwi UFC lightweight contender has made an imprint on the biggest stage in mixed martial arts through his striking game. So much so that he has people thinking that, like many of New Zealand's top MMA fighters,he comes from a kickboxing background.
But Hooker is a true mixed martial artist, and his bout at UFC 267 on Sunday morning against highly touted Russian grappling machine Islam Makhachev has prompted Hooker to remember that.
"It's kind of something I had to remind myself," Hooker admitted.
"Working with guys like Doug [Viney] and Eugene [Bareman] and Twist [Tristram Apikitoa], [I've been] making such big improvements in my striking game since joining City Kickboxing fulltime in 2016.
"A lot of people think I come from a kickboxing background, but the kickboxing came halfway through, when I'd already been training for a few years and was unable to get MMA fights at the time. I just fought kickboxing to stay busy and to stay sharp. I consider myself a true mixed martial artist and over the last couple of years at City Kickboxing have leaned more towards the striking.
"It was kind of like a wakeup call that you're a complete mixed martial artist," Hooker added of his bout against Makhachev. "Whether it's offensive wrestling, defensive wrestling, offensive submissions, defensive submissions – I believe I can do everything."
Dan Hooker will take on Islam Makhachev at UFC 267 this weekend. Photo / Getty Images
Currently ranked at No 6 in the lightweight division, Hooker will look to put a halt to the momentum of No 5-ranked Makhachev. The 30-year-old Russian has made his name with a smothering wrestling approach; dragging his opponents to the mat and forcing them to work to the point where they have nothing left in the tank.
In 21 professional bouts, Makhachev has nine wins by submission, eight by decision and three by knockout, with just one loss on his record – a knockout loss in 2015. However, despite having fought 10 times in the UFC, he has never been in the octagon against a top-10 ranked fighter and this weekend's bout shapes up as a big one for both contenders.
Speaking about his opponent, Hooker said it was clear Makhachev did certain things extremely well, but he also had some clear weaknesses in his game.
"He's a specialist," Hooker explained. "As a mixed martial artist, saying someone is a wrestler is like a pretty watered down [term], it's like saying someone is just a striker. Once you take a closer look at it, there's obviously a pattern. He's very adamant on a certain pattern he follows and he's a specialist in that pattern.
"But the same things that make it effective also make it a weakness, because he's so locked in on that pattern. Whereas I feel like I'm the more well-rounded fighter and I can put the things in place to either shut down or work around that specialised approach he has to mixed martial arts."
Taking the bout on short notice, Hooker has had just over a month to prepare specifically for Makhachev, taking the fight just days after his unanimous decision win over Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 266 in late September. The offer meant Hooker remained in Las Vegas following UFC 266 where he worked with renowned wrestling coach Frank Hickman – who has an affiliation with City Kickboxing.
Frank Hickman, left, was in Dan Hooker's corner at UFC 266 late in September. Photo / Getty Images
After getting in as much work on the mats as possible, Hooker has been able to get some striking work in with Viney and heavyweight boxer Hemi Ahio, who also trains out of the Auckland gym. The pair met up with Hooker and Hickman in Abu Dhabi as they were in Dubai for Ahio's WBC Middle East title bout – which he won via second-round knockout – and they will join Hickman in Hooker's corner on Sunday.
While the pair have worked together for years and have been in corners together, Hooker said this will be the first time Viney would corner him in a UFC bout and it was the perfect fight to have Viney there for.
"He has a great eye for detail and can really read your opponent to a tee," Hooker said of Viney. "I'm really excited to make the adjustments to what he sees in the fight; to see the openings he calls for in the fight. This is what you need for this fight.
"Islam is a guy who, when the opportunities are there, you need to punish him. That's just the way it is. It's not a fight where you can really tiptoe around and not punish those takedown attempts; not punish his inexperience in the striking. If you just go out there at the end of range point-fighting him and let him implement his game plan, you'll be in a bit of trouble. If it's there, punish him. Once you shut those takedowns down, you need to make him pay for it and Doug will have the eye for detail that's needed.
"I feel like it's perfect. I've done all the grappling rounds I could possibly do over the last couple of weeks with some pretty incredible guys back in the States and the technical side of things breaking down Islam's game with Frankie has been a real treat. To just come over here and throw Doug in the mix at the last second and have him in the corner for the fight is invaluable – technically and also in his approach. I feel like he's the perfect person to have for this fight because there's a lot of steam behind Islam, and if you were to ask Doug Viney if he gives a shit who Islam Makhachev is, I guarantee you he doesn't.
"He'll be screaming at me in the corner to take his head off, which is how I like to fight too, so I feel like it's a perfect mix for this fight."
