Tony Ferguson fight "very winnable" for Dan Hooker, says Alexander Volkanovski
Alexander Volkanovski believes the UFC should book a matchup between Tony Ferguson and Dan Hooker. 'The Hangman' has been calling out Ferguson lately and the reigning featherweight champion feels it's a winnable matchup for the Kiwi fighter.
Madison Square Garden. #UFC281
Let’s get it done. 🖋
@TonyFergusonXT @seanshelby @danawhite https://t.co/OTHD45zAZG
'The Great' pointed out that over the years, Hooker has fought elite competition inside the octagon and claimed that the promotion owes him a big name like Ferguson at this stage of his career. During a recent interaction with Fox Sports Australia, Volkanovski said:
"He's pushing for that and I think that's a perfect fight. I think he deserves something like that especially [because of] what he's done for the UFC, fighting killer after killer, on short notice, you name it. In the while everything was happening back in the last couple of years and what he's done for the promotion, I think he's owed something like a Tony Ferguson, a big name like that and a fight that yeah, I think is very winnable for him."
Watch clips from the interview below:
Both Hooker and Ferguson have lost four out of their last five fights inside the octagon and desperately need to win their next fight. It would make sense for the promotion to book these two lightweights against one another to find out who can bounce back from the recent slump.
Dan Hooker pondering potential clash with Michael Johnson
Although Hooker seems interested in fighting Ferguson, veteran lightweight Michael Johnson has expressed a desire to share the octagon with Hooker next. Johnson suggested that he and 'The Hangman' should square off inside the octagon in October, likely at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi:
"Yo @danthehangman you still looking 4 someone at LW? You said anybody anywhere right? I’ll meet you half way in Abu Dhabi! End of Oct!!"
Yo @danthehangman you still looking 4 someone at LW? You said anybody anywhere right? I’ll meet you half way in Abu Dhabi! End of Oct!! https://t.co/v4Tdk1v48Y
Dan Hooker seemed willing to fight Johnson down the line but jibed at the American fighter for his "poorly researched call out." In his callout, Johnson said he'd like to fight Hooker in Abu Dhabi and claimed it's halfway between their respective home countries, the USA and New Zealand
Hooker pointed out that Abu Dhabi is twice as far away as America is from New Zealand, claiming that the callout made no sense. During a recent interaction with Submission Radio, Dan Hooker said:
"I'll fight Michael Johnson. I just didn't respond to the call out because I don't know where he thinks I live, but 'halfway' is not... where does he think I live?! Where does he think New Zealand is... He said 'I'll meet you halfway in Abu Dhabi.' Mate, that's further away than America. I would rather, I don't know where he lives, but I would rather fly there and fight him in America than fly to Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is not half way. Abu Dhabi is twice as far away as America! That was a poorly researched call out."