Michael Chandler Offered Surprise Rematch at UFC White House After Losing Out on Conor McGregor Fight

Top lightweight Dan Hooker talked about fighting Michael Chandler following recent loss at UFC 325.

Michael Chandler Offered Surprise Rematch at UFC White House After Losing Out on Conor McGregor Fight

Dan Hooker gives Michael Chandler a shot after Conor McGregor fight falls (via X)

Last weekend at UFC 325, Dan Hooker faced Benoit Saint-Denis in a highly anticipated lightweight clash. Hooker entered the fight seeking redemption after a submission loss to Arman Tsarukyan, desperate to bounce back strongly. Despite his determination, the Kiwi suffered disappointment again after losing via second-round TKO and missing the comeback he envisioned that night.

Hooker promised to bring violence, something he has been known for throughout his UFC career, heading into every high-level matchup. However, against BSD, he failed, and the Frenchman cracked his durability. 

Many fans showed concern for the fighter, discussing long-term effects and whether accumulated battles were mounting quickly. Hooker recently went viral for being ready for a new challenge against former Bellator champion Michael Chandler. 

Michael Chandler at the White House. I will see you at the top.

Dan Hooker via YouTube

Michael Chandler has waited for the Conor McGregor fight for a long time, previously wasting nearly two years chasing uncertainty. He was forced to come back and ended up losing two fights back-to-back against Charles Oliveira and Paddy Pimblett.

However, the fighter was hopeful of receiving an opportunity against the ‘Notorious’ at the upcoming White House event. Recently, UFC CEO Dana White completely shut down the idea, stating the hype surrounding that matchup is finished now.

Many fans and experts, including Dustin Poirier, were surprised by that decision and shared sympathy towards Chandler, who waited for so many months. McGregor, previously focused on fighting Chandler, appeared unfazed and said he was ready to fight anybody next without hesitation. 

Chandler and Hooker share similar momentum, making their matchup logical, competitive, and potentially exciting for fans worldwide. They last fought each other back at UFC 257, and Chandler won via TKO.

As such, the rematch will likely be as action-packed as the first encounter was. Chandler badly needs a victory and so does Hooker. Hence, the rematch makes a lot of sense. It will be interesting to see whether the New Zealand MMA star doubles down on his callout or if it was just a joke. 

Paddy Pimblett shares his successful “hate watch” as Dan Hooker lost at UFC 325

Paddy Pimblett mocking Dan Hooker’s grappling ability with a vulgar remark paved the way for a new feud. Hooker fired back on social media, seemingly disparaging Pimblett’s dead friend by name in his reply. Pimblett later denied ever insulting Hooker’s mother and said Hooker brought up his dead friend unnecessarily. 

Dan Hooker and Paddy Pimblett
Dan Hooker and Paddy Pimblett (via X)

Hooker’s retort about Pimblett’s late friend shocked MMA fans and drew criticism for crossing accepted trash-talk boundaries. Pimblett publicly condemned the reference to someone who took their life as below the belt and insensitive.

The two fighters have since maintained a frosty rivalry without signs of reconciliation anytime soon. The rivalry peaked with Pimblett celebrating Hooker’s loss at UFC 325 and calling it karmic satisfaction. 

Nice to see Dan get TKO’d after the (expletive) he was chatting. He probably enjoyed me losing last week. I never got finished though.

Paddy Pimblett via his YouTube 

Paddy Pimblett also faced heavy criticism after suffering his first promotional loss at UFC 324 against veteran brawler Justin Gaethje. It was a brutal war where the experienced American put on a show and systematically dismantled the UK fighter. For Pimblett, the defeat was a shocker, and afterward, top stars like Ilia Topuria and Arman Tsarukyan mocked him online.

Gaethje has since claimed the interim lightweight title and now prepares to fight Topuria next, aiming to win the undisputed UFC gold. However, heading into the matchup, Topuria is the betting favorite largely because of his devastating knockout power advantage. Pimblett, meanwhile, wants Gaethje to win the fight, believing a future rematch offers him revenge inside the UFC octagon someday.

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