Hooker Explains Why Fighters Didn’t Face Islam On Short Notice Like Him

Dan Hooker knows firsthand how difficult it is to face Islam Makhachev.

The UFC event coming up on Saturday night has gotten a facelift. The main event was originally scheduled between Beneil Dariush and Islam Makhachev, but unfortunately, Dariush was injured and removed from the fight. Makhachev was still an option but finding him a replacement could have been a difficult task. One man did step up, however: Bobby Green.

Makhachev is one of the most dangerous men in the lightweight division. He has been rising up the rankings for a while now and with nine wins in a row, he is a problem in the division.

Dan Hooker was the last man to lose to Makhachev and is shedding some insight on why no other ranked opponent stepped in on short notice against Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protégé. (h/t Sportskeeda)

“You can draw down the list of fighters that don’t really have a fight right now. I guarantee you that every single one of them was asked if they wanted to fight Islam and there’s a reason Bobby Green took the fight because none of these other guys stepped up to the plate,” Hooker told The AllStar. “To take on a guy like Islam on one or two weeks notice is a pretty tough call and [Dustin] Poirier and [Michael] Chandler and Tony Ferguson wouldn’t even be expected to make that kind of jump or sacrifice just because the risk is not worth the reward for a guy with a name like… The reward is not there for a fighter like Dustin Poirier to take on Islam on a weeks’, or two weeks’ notice. It just doesn’t make any sense for him.”

Makhachev is currently ranked fourth in the division and has been discussed as a possible title contender with a win over Dariush. Now that he is facing Green instead, the title contention discussion might not still be there.

Green is coming off two impressive wins, but he is not ranked. Makhachev has been calling for top ten opponents for a while now, and Dariush was the answer. Now, he might have to face another top-five opponent before receiving that title shot he has been searching for.

Do you think Islam Makhachev is the best fighter in the top five at lightweight?