5 most important things Dan Hooker should do to upset Islam Makhachev

#4. Dan Hooker should pursue the finish early

Dan Hooker has faced the likes of Paul Felder, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier, the New Zealand native has seen it all in the UFC. With relentless takedown attempts and submission offerings Makhachev will bring into the contest, Dan Hooker needs to look to finish early.

Simply put, Dan Hooker has far more striking experience than Makhachev. The 31-year-old's striking technique has flourished while working with City Kickboxing. With an emphasis on feints and footwork, the crew from New Zealand are excellent planners. The cerebral approach the team takes enables its fighters to turn in some incredible striking masterclasses.

Dan Hooker has multiple weapons, but the lightweight's knees up the middle could pose serious problems for Islam Makhachev. A well-timed knee while defending a takedown can result in severe damage. With first rounds often percolating at a frenetic pace, perhaps a knee could surprise the Russian native.

With such a dangerous fight and limited time to train, sometimes risky behavior pays off. Of course, calculated risks are more in line with what Dan Hooker will need to do in order to upset Islam Makhachev.

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#3. Avoid the clinch and maintain outside distance

Dan Hooker can fight inside the clinch, but in his fight against Makhachev, this area will be a danger zone. During his illustrious UFC career, Dan Hooker has only been submitted once. Hooker was on the receiving end of a rear naked choke defeat he received in 2012.

Dan Hooker will need to play to his strengths at UFC 267. Equipped with excellent reach, Hooker can pose serious obstacles for Makhachev if he is reckless about his takedown attempts. As we saw in his last fight against Nasrat Haqparast, 'The Hangman' showed improvements in his wrestling offense and defense. However, even before then, he was beginning to develop his skills on the mat.

If Hooker can focus on the tools that sent him soaring to the top of the lightweight rankings, this fight might not be as one-sided as many oddsmakers are suggesting.

Islam Makhachev likes to shoot for takedowns immediately, so proper distance control will be essential for Hooker. Thanks to his time at City Kickboxing, Dan Hooker acquired useful weapons like push kicks and leg kicks to disarm his opponents so that he can safely maintain distance and strike from range.

If Dan Hooker can avoid clinch tactics and keep proper distance, his striking will be difficult for Makhachev to contend with. From long range, Dan Hooker is a nightmare to deal with because of his diverse selection of strikes. With the fast pace and pressure Hooker brings to each contest, Makhachev may have his hands full the longer the fight goes.