Israel Adesanya says he will support teammate Dan Hooker even if he "was fighting Jesus"

Israel Adesanya has shared his pick for the upcoming featherweight clash between Arnold Allen and Dan Hooker this weekend at UFC London. Unsurprisingly, he chose his teammate, Hooker, to emerge victorious.

'The Hangman' trains out of the City Kickboxing gym in Auckland, New Zealand. 'The Last Stylebender' is also a part of the gym and the duo can often be seen training together.

In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Adesanya said that he would support Hooker no matter who he fights. He said:

"I am gonna pick Dan. Even if Dan was fighting Jesus I'm gonna pick Dan. You already know."

Watch Adesanya talk about Hooker's upcoming fight with Allen below:

Hooker has won only one of his last four fights in the UFC. Dustin Poirier snapped the New Zealander's three-fight win streak back in June 2020 in a back-and-forth contest. Despite his loss, 'The Hangman' managed to put on a show in a bout that was an instant classic.

Watch the incredible fight between Dan Hooker and Dustin Poirier below:

He then suffered a first-round knockout loss in his next fight against Michael Chandler. However, he returned to his winning ways at UFC 266 with a dominant decision victory against Nasrat Haqparast.

In his latest bout, Hooker stepped in on short notice to fight Islam Makhachev at UFC 267. The fight didn't go according to plan as Makhachev earned a submission win in the first round of the contest. The Auckland native then decided to make a return to the featherweight division after the fight.

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Can Dan Hooker get a win against Arnold Allen?

Arnold Allen is currently ranked No.7 in the UFC's featherweight division and has a professional record of 17-1. The 28-year-old is riding a 10-fight win streak heading into the contest with Hooker. Eight of those wins have come under the UFC banner and continues to remain undefeated in the organization.

Watch Dan Hooker talk to the media ahead of UFC London:

Hooker will have his hands full against a top prospect like Allen. However, 'The Hangman' comes with a wealth of experience, having shared the octagon with some of the best fighters in the UFC.

It will be interesting to see if he can get a win against 'Almighty' and catapult himself into the upper echelons of the featherweight division.