'Completed package' Dan Hooker targets UFC London to spark final run at championship gold

With his “internship” at featherweight a long time complete, Dan Hooker believes his final run at UFC gold begins this weekend against the surging Arnold Allen at UFC London.

The New Zealander, who last competed in Abu Dhabi in October, has made the move back down to 145 lbs having in recent years fought at the sharp end of the lightweight division.

On Sunday morning, Hooker will compete at featherweight for the first time since 2016 and, true to form, has jumped right into the thick of the action. In Allen, in the co-main event at the O2 Arena, he faces the featherweight’s No 7-ranked contender, a home favourite who has won all eight of his UFC appearances.

As always, though, Hooker is fully embracing the challenge.

“I’ve come to the realisation the last couple of days, that it was kind of always my intention to move back down to featherweight,” he tells The National. “It was kind of as an internship, my first run at featherweight, and this shift up to lightweight gaining all of that experience, taking the challenges, competing with those guys.

“But I always knew that my final run towards the title would be back down at the weight class that I should be competing in. I'm excited to put all of that experience, put all of those lessons, and showcase like a completed package.”

All of Hooker's past 12 UFC appearances have come at lightweight. Last time out, he was beaten by surging contender Islam Makhachev via first-round submission at UFC 267 at Etihad Arena – a fight Hooker agreed to on a month’s notice. It represented his third defeat in his past four fights, meaning his overall professional MMA record reads 21-11, and 11-7 in the UFC. England's Allen, meanwhile, is 17-1 (8-0).

Last session in the books.Feeling sharp