Dan Hooker has withdrawn from his scheduled five-round fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 313, on March 8, due to a hand injury.
Hooker (24-12) revealed his injury in a YouTube video with his daughter on Tuesday. The UFC has not commented on Hooker's status, nor whether Gaethje (25-5) will remain on the card. The 155-pound bout was set to co-headline UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. A light heavyweight title fight between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev is scheduled as the main event.
«Dad had a fight, or was supposed to have a fight, but I've busted my paw,» Hooker said.
UFC lightweight Rafael Fiziev was quick to volunteer as Hooker's replacement. Fiziev and Gaethje already fought in March 2023. Gaethje won via majority decision.
It's an uncertain development for Gaethje, who was scheduled to fight for the first time since he was on the wrong end of one of the greatest knockouts in UFC history. Gaethje was next in line for a lightweight title shot early last year, but accepted a 'BMF' bout against Max Holloway to help the company bolster its UFC 300 event in April. Gaethje suffered a knockout loss in the final second of the five-round contest.
Gaethje is currently ranked No. 3 in the lightweight division, behind fellow contenders Arman Tsarukyan and Charles Oliveira. Defending champion Islam Makhachev does not have his next title defense set but is likely to return this summer.
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