"That name has never come across my desk" - Dan Hooker explains why a fight between him and Islam Makhachev never came to fruition
Dan Hooker cleared the air regarding a potential fight between himself and Islam Makhachev. 'The Hangman' has claimed that the reason why a fight between the two was never put together is because Makhachev wasn't ready to fight in June.
During his recent interview with Submission Radio, Dan Hooker also briefly spoke about Makhachev's upcoming fight against Thiago Moises.
"The only reason that fight didn't get put together is he wasn't ready to go in June. That's the only thing I can see from my end. He's got himself another fight, he gets through that or whatever."
Dan Hooker further stated that he never stipulated for an opponent in the UFC and was never offered the fight against Makhachev. The Kiwi mentioned that Makhachev's name never came across his desk, and in doing so, Hooker also took a shot at his former octagon counterpart Paul Felder.
Hooker and Felder competed in one of the most brutal lightweight fights in recent history. 'The Hangman' fought Felder in early 2020 in his native land of New Zealand and survived a brutal five-round main event against 'The Irish Dragon'.
"To me, I never stipulated an opponent. I've never been offered that fight. That name has never come across my desk, so it's funny. But I'm not Paul Felder, those kind of people, I guess they never irritate me like they irritated him."
Watch the full interview below:
Could Dan Hooker face Islam Makhachev later in the year?
Hooker is currently on the back of a loss to Michael Chandler. The former Bellator lightweight champion defeated 'The Hangman' inside the first round of their showdown at UFC 257.
With the loss, Hooker is now on a two-fight losing streak. The Kiwi lost his previous fight to Dustin Poirier in 2020 in a five-round barnburner. Hooker's goal will be to get back on winning terms in his next, and if Makhachev successfully gets past Moises, the Russian could get himself booked for a bout against Hooker.
Please take 30 seconds to answer this survey so that we can better understand how to serve your MMA needs.