Dan Hooker believes he may be able to earn a title shot in the featherweight division with a win over Arnold Allen this weekend at UFC London.
Five years following his move to the lightweight division, 'The Hangman' is returning to the 145-pound weight class, which is where he began his UFC career.
Heading into the fight with Allen, Hooker feels that the winner might be fighting for the title next. The New Zealander explained that while Allen has momentum on his side, he is yet to defeat a marquee name. Beating Hooker at UFC London would make a strong case for him to demand a title shot next.
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Hooker, on the other hand, is a marquee fighter but hasn't been on a winning streak lately. A win over someone like Allen, who is on an eight-fight streak, could land him an early title shot in the division.
Speaking to NZ Herald's Christopher Reive, Hooker said:
"To get a guy like Arnold Allen who's on an eight-fight winning streak... It's hard, it's impossible to deny a guy on an eight-fight win streak and he's not [even] in title contention. He's just missing a big, marquee name. And me, I just need to completely steal someone's momentum. I have the name value but I don't have to momentum; he has the momentum and not the name value, so it's winner takes all, winner moves on and winner positions himself for a title shot."
Check out Hooker's comments in the video below:
Dan Hooker feels experience gives him the edge over Arnold Allen
Come what may on fight night, Dan Hooker is prepared to do whatever it takes to get his hand raised this Saturday at UFC London.
Going up against hometown favorite Arnold Allen, Hooker feels his vast experience of having been theorugh different situations in fights will give him the edge against the Englishman.
During the pre-fight media day event for UFC London, Hooker said:
"Whether it’s a knockdown, drag it out for 15 minutes, I’ve been in a few of those, I can handle that. Whether I slip on a banana peel and I’ve got to go through some adversity, I can deal with that, I’ve been there before, that’s easy. Whether I go out there as I’m expecting and just purely outclass him I’m prepared for that as well."
Check out the interview below:
Dan Hooker is on a bit of a rough patch right now, having lost three out of his last four fights inside the ocatgon. The latest loss came against lightweight contender Islam Makhachev back in October last year.
'The Hangman' will be looking to put that loss behind him and make a triumphant return to the featherweight division this weekend against Allen.