Islam Makhachev responds to Dan Hooker's proposal that their UFC 267 fight should be for five rounds

Barely a week removed from his decisive win against Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 266, Dan Hooker dove headfirst into a fight against Islam Makhachev. However, he recently made things even harder for himself, asking the UFC for a five-round fight against the Dagestani.

In response to a post from Dan Hooker lobbying to make their upcoming clash into a five-rounder, Islam Makhachev revealed how Hooker's going to fare in their upcoming UFC 267 clash.

Dan Hooker has recorded two losses in his last five fights - against Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler. Islam Makhachev, on the other hand, has been on an absolute rampage since his loss to Adriano Martins in October 2015. Makhachev has since recorded eight wins on the trot.

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Dan Hooker sees a title shot on the horizon

A successful outing against a surging Islam Makhachev could certainly put Dan Hooker in the title picture, or so he believes. A win in a five-rounder against Khabib Nurmagomedov's protege could only bolster his stock.

While in conversation with the media at a press conference, Dan Hooker opened up about the dynamic nature of the UFC lightweight division and how he fits into the picture.

"Without a doubt, [with a win], you put yourself in that title picture. It’s like, how the title fight plays out, it’s like, well, if Oliveira wins and Chandler wins then do we really want to see that again? A lot of different things can happen. But yeah, you’re one of two guys that could get a title shot from this. Of course, it’s a very real possibility." (h/t: MMA Junkie)

Dan Hooker is likely to have his hands full dealing with the wrestling of Islam Makhachev. However, the Kiwi is not to be underestimated either. Regardless of the result, this fight promises to be a barnburner.