Dan Hooker posts his hilarious reaction on Twitter following submission loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 267
It appears as though Dan Hooker has gracefully accepted his loss to Islam Makhachev.
While the New Zealander didn't win at UFC 267, he did make a good deal of money by fighting his Dagestani opponent. That has apparently kept him happy, at least for now.
A few hours after his defeat in Abu Dhabi, Hooker posted a GIF to his Twitter account. The GIF featured Zombieland actor Woody Harrelson, who can be seen wiping away his tears with a handful of cash.
https://t.co/UFxJdNAzSh
Hooker finds himself more or less in the same situation as before the event. After his impressive win over Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 266, he agreed to challenge Makhachev on just a month's notice. 'The Hangman' later confirmed he was paid handsomely by the UFC to accept the fight.
However, at UFC 267, it was Makhachev who ended up being victorious. Putting in a flawless performance, the 30-year-old submitted Hooker in the first round of the fight with a kimura.
MAKHACHEV SUBMITS HOOKER IN ROUND ONE.
🇷🇺 @MakhachevMMA is NOT to be messed with! #UFC267
@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi https://t.co/rGuHtZrOK6
'The Hangman' has now lost three of his previous four fights. He's currently ranked No.6 in the lightweight division.
Meanwhile, Islam Makhachev registered his ninth consecutive victory at UFC 267. During his post-fight interview, the grappling ace declared that he's ready to fight for the lightweight title.
Islam Makhachev claimed Dan Hooker was only fighting him for a quick payday
Islam Makhachev was originally supposed to take on Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 267. Dan Hooker replaced the Brazilian after he was forced to withdraw due to a recent surgery.
In the lead-up to their clash, Islam Makachev repeatedly claimed Hooker accepted the short-notice fight against him just to make a quick buck. However, Hooker denied those claims.
During an interaction with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour prior to the fight, the 31-year-old said money was not that relevant to him. He claimed he'd agreed to fight Islam Makhachev because he wanted to test himself against one of the UFC's best competitors.
"I didn't take the fight for the money. Yeah, but people that know me know that money's not that relevant to me. I've been a poor man, and I've been a rich man. And I'm indifferent to both of them."
Watch Dan Hooker's appearance on The MMA Hour ahead of UFC 267 below (2:05:00):