"It requires another level of sacrifice" - Dan Hooker explains why featherweight is the perfect weight class for him

Dan Hooker returns to action on March 19 on the undercard of UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall, and the biggest story regarding the fight has nothing to do with his opponent Arnold Allen. Instead, it's the fact that Hooker will be returning to featherweight for the first time since 2016.

Hooker struggled for the two years he competed in the UFC at 145 pounds before finally finding success at 155. You can't argue with a 7-1 run that included wins over names like Jim Miller, Gilbert Burns, Al Iaquinta, and Paul Felder.

But losses to Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler, and Islam Makhachev over the past two years seem to have convinced Hooker that lightweight isn't the right fit for him. Hence the return to featherweight, which Hooker explained on the latest episode of The MMA Hour. Here's what he had to say:

"It requires another level of sacrifice, it requires another level of dedication that 155 doesn't demand of me. So this is why it's the best weight class for me, because to compete at 145 I have to be 100% laser focused. And it brings out the best in me, which it has. This camp without a doubt has been challenging. But without a shadow of a doubt it has brought out the best in me and has made me develop and grow at a greater speed than I could ever do at 155."

Watch the full MMA Hour interview with Dan Hooker below:

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Dan Hooker already cut down to 145 pounds to prove to his team he could do it

At 6′3″, Dan Hooker was already a solid sized lightweight, so it's unsurprising that many questioned his decision to drop back down to featherweight. Or whether he'd even be able to pull it off. Even his coaches had their doubts. But a month after his one-sided loss to Islam Makhachev, Hooker posted a video on his social media of a successful test cut down to 145 pounds.

Watch Dan Hooker make weight below:

Whether he'll be able to perform in the cage like he did as a lightweight remains to be seen and his opponent, Arnold Allen, isn't about to make things easy for him. Allen is undefeated in the UFC and on an eight-fight win streak. He's also not about to freeze against top shelf competition as he holds a decision win over Gilbert Melendez from 2019.

Between the new weight class and Allen's scrappiness, it's no surprise that the Vegas bookies have this fight listed as a toss up.