"As legitimate an excuse as you can possibly get" - Dan Hooker gives his opinion on Beneil Dariush pulling out of Islam Makhachev fight due to leg injury

Dan Hooker feels Beneil Dariush has legitimate reasons to pull out of the fight against Islam Makhachev next weekend. Dariush and Makhachev were initially scheduled to headline next weekend's UFC Vegas 49 event in a lightweight clash.

Dariush, unfortunately, injured himself heading into the fight and was forced to withdraw at the last moment. UFC veteran Bobby Green has now stepped up on short notice to replace the American-Iranian fighter and will fight Makhachev on February 26.

After news of Dariush's ankle injury and his subsequent decision to pull out of the fight broke on social media, he received some criticism online for failing to go through with the bout. In a recent interview with The AllStar, Dan Hooker said there's no way Dariush could have fought with a broken ankle.

"He broke his femur. That's like a legit injury. Yeah, obviously people are going to the internet and they decide, 'Oh, he pulled out' but broken femur, my guy, that is about as legitimate an excuse as you can possibly get for pulling out of a fight, 'I broke my leg'," Hooker said.

Check out the interview below:

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Dan Hooker explains what makes Bobby Green an interesting opponent for Islam Makhachev

Bobby Green is looking to do the unthinkable as he attempts to stop Islam Makhachev's winning streak in the division next weekend, just two weeks after his last fight at UFC 271. Green faced Nasrat Haqparast in the main card opening encounter of the event and came away with a unanimous decision win.

Dan Hooker is excited to watch Green perform once again next Saturday and feels his skillset will make for an exciting challenge for Makhachev. Who's likely to fight for the title if he wins at UFC Vegas 49. 'The Hangman' said:

"I'm actually, genuinely excited for the fight. Bobby Green's movement is so unorthodox. His head movement, fighting with his hands so low, switching stances. He is a pretty difficult guy to get down but yeah, I'm happy to see Bobby Green in a main event."