‘I want to take that hype away from him’ – Dan Hooker keen on beating Michael Chandler

‘I want to take that hype away from him’ – Dan Hooker keen on beating Michael Chandler
Dan Hooker 2
Dan Hooker

Dan Hooker takes on UFC debutant Michael Chandler in a hotly contested lightweight match – co-main event of UFC 257. Michael Chandler, was roped in by the UFC, last September, and given his illustrious Bellator career, he shot to the spotlight almost immediately. He was made the back-up fighter in the all important Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Justin Gaethje fight at UFC 254. Chandler was then set to face, Tony Ferguson, but then, he later pulled out of it, and now here he is, all set to make his debut against the ‘Hangman‘.

Speaking of this in an interview with MMA Fighting, Dan Hooker revealed that all the hype surrounding his opponent Michael Chandler would be gone, if he defeated him, as he feels that the UFC are ‘putting him as a title contender’. The Kiwi also reiterated that it was a ‘make-or-break’ fight for Michael Chandler.

‘Let me welcome him to the UFC‘ – Dan Hooker

Dan Hooker was quoted as saying, “I knew the UFC had signed him, and I can’t say I cared that much until they had him as the backup for the title fight. Stepping in to back up Khabib-Gaethje. That’s when I said, if the UFC is going to put that much stock in him and he doesn’t get to fight here, let me welcome him to the UFC.“

Speaking about snatching the hype away from ‘Iron Mike’, Hooker said, “They’re putting him as a title contender. They’re putting him as a potential title challenger, then I want that spot. I want to take that hype away from him.”

He further added, “The UFC, they’re putting him in a make-or-break position. He loses this fight against me, that’s all of that hype gone. I don’t think he’s at the stage of his career where he’s going to build himself up, going back in the UFC fighting unranked fighters, working his way back up the ladder. This is a make-or-break fight for Michael Chandler.“

Can Dan Hooker send Michael Chandler’s hype crashing to the ground?

Also Read : ‘I would have to say if I had to lean one way, I would go Khabib’ – Michael Chandler would take on Khabib Nurmagomedov rather than taking on Conor McGregor!