“[When this fight ends] I’m going straight to the stretcher, straight into the back of an ambulance and I’m going to the hospital.”
Kiwi Dan “The Hangman” Hooker is now eating these words he told ESPN Australia about his highly-anticipated battle vs American fighter Justin Gaethje, as he’s withdrawn from the card due to a hand injury.
Hooker “was just throwing some bombs down range,” he told Sky Sport, and managed to fracture his hand.
UFC 313 was set for the 8th of March in Nevada, Las Vegas, and had 'iconic' written all over it, leaving fans now devastated over the news.
Both lightweight fighters known for their bloodthirsty, hand-heavy fighting styles, this battle was set to be violent, aggressive and dangerous - everything a UFC fan wants.
Hooker, who has a 24-12 record, was hoping to make it four wins on the bounce with this fight against Gaethje, who holds a 25-5-0 record.
Fans were not shy to share their disappointment online.
“I was hyped beyond comprehension for this fight,” one fan said.
Another on a similar wave-length agreed, “This was easily one of the best non-title fights that UFC could possibly book. Devastating hit to the card.”
Some chose to use less words to describe their sadness: “F*cking f*ck.”
Hooker’s injury then begs the question - who steps in to replace him, if anyone at all?
UFC fight preparation typically takes months, so a replacement will have to be prepared for a swift turnaround.
A swift turnaround and lack of preparation is NOT what you want when getting ready to fight the relentless pressure of Gaethje.
The most popular name thrown out by fans was Ilia Topuria, who recently relinquished his UFC featherweight title to upgrade to the lightweight class. Other names consisted of Arman Tsarukyan and Dustin Poirier.
“Ilia or Dustin have a chance to do something here. Dustin can try to get his get back or Ilia can be welcomed into the lightweight division,” one fan said.
Either way, the fans win.
Other fans shared their thoughts on Ilia being the replacement: “How fast does Ilia wanna be at 155 (pounds).”
“It’s time for Arman to redeem himself,” another fan argued.
There is no official word from UFC yet if they will even replace Hooker or if they’ll reschedule the fight.
Hoping it’ll be a replacement, notable fighters have stepped up to the plate to challenge Gaethje, including Rafael Fiziev and Renato Moicano, who have both been vocal about their challenges on X.
Hooker’s estimated time of recovery hasn’t been revealed, but many predict it’ll be late 2025 we see ‘The Hangman’ once again.
