Dan Hooker positive about finishing Dustin Poirier
Dan Hooker is all set to lock horns against Dustin Poirier at UFC on ESPN 12 on June 12. Dan Hooker will be entering the fight on a three-fight winning streak. He will fight in the former interim champion in the main event of the fight card.
Despite it being a global pandemic and majority of the world being shut, Dan Hooker in an interview with MMA Fighting revealed that he didn't hesitate for a second before saying yes to the fight. Dan Hooker believed that a win over Poirier could get him closer to a title shot and make his path shorter.
“I would have to be stupid to not take this fight. The way I look at it, it’s a win-win situation. I’m No. 5, I’m fighting the No. 3 [ranked lightweight]. I plan on going out there, putting on one heck of a show, and putting Dustin away and earning myself a title shot. That’s what my mind is set on."
Dan Hooker also believed that this was a win-win situation cause a fight against a contender like Poirier simply meant a lot of attention and money.
“But worst-case scenario, I get my ass whooped, I don’t move that far down in the rankings and I get to make a bunch of money for my family. So the way I’m looking at it is already a win-win situation. There’s not a heck of a lot of pressure on me if I’m being honest.”
Dan Hooker positive he'll be able to deal with Dustin Poirier
Dan Hooker most importantly believed that it was Dustin who had to worry about him. Given their fighting styles, Dan Hooker was sure that Dustin will have to make some adjustments in his game plan. He believed unlike his last opponent, Paul Felder, Dustin Poirier didn't have the chin to take on the kind of damage that he could unleash.
“That’s the thing — he’s definitely going to have to adjust his game a little bit. I feel like pressuring me, taking a shot, giving it, taking a shot, giving a shot is just not the way to best approach it. I don’t feel like Dustin can take a shot as well as Paul Felder can. From watching the tape of both of those fighters, I don’t think Poirier has the chin Felder does. I feel I can put Dustin away. If I keep touching him, there’s no way that Dustin’s going to be able to eat those shots and be able to recover from the damage I’m generally able to inflict on opponents."
This will be Dustin Poierie's first fight since losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019. Dan Hooker has a golden opportunity at his hands in this fight and if he secures the win he can come very close to a title shot. Dan Hooker is currently 7-1 in his last 8.