In a cruel twist of fate, the much-anticipated co-main event at UFC Austin between Dan Hooker and Bobby Green has been marred by adversity as Hooker is forced to withdraw due to a heartbreaking injury. The New Zealand fighter, known as “The Hangman,” detailed the unfortunate incident, shedding light on the circumstances that led to the abrupt disruption of his comeback.
Hooker disclosed the nature of his injury, indicating that he re-broke his arm during training, specifically while sparring. The original break occurred in a hard-fought decision victory over Jalin Turner in July. Despite undergoing surgery to repair the bone, Hooker’s eagerness to return to action may have led to a premature comeback.
“Sparring yesterday, copped a bit of a kick. Got sent to an x-ray. She’s custard,” Hooker revealed in a recent interview with Submission Radio. “Yeah, it just broke in the same place, and it kind of is what it is. I took a risk. I obviously came back a little quicker than… yeah, like, it’s all on me, brother. I rushed to come back, I wanted to fight. I knew the risk of coming back that quickly, and we rolled the dice and we come up snake eyes, baby.”
The emotional turmoil and frustration were palpable in Hooker’s words as he described the relentless effort to return to the Octagon and the agonizing setback that followed. The fighter acknowledged the risks but expressed the hunger and drive that propelled him to take the chance.
“I blocked 1,000 kicks in the last couple of months and just one hit on the right spot, and it just … yeah. It is what it is,” Hooker lamented.
Reflecting on past decisions, including accepting last-minute replacement fights and experimenting with different weight classes, Hooker admitted to not always making the best career choices. However, the recent setback has prompted him to adopt a more cautious approach moving forward.
“It’s either broken in the exact same spot, which means that just the bone didn’t fuse properly, the bone was never fused properly, and it was inevitable that this was gonna happen again. Or it’s a new break. So, it’s like, depending on the thing depends on what it is,” Hooker explained.
Looking ahead, Hooker remains resilient, already setting his sights on a triumphant return at UFC 300 in five months. Despite the heartbreak of UFC Austin being derailed, the fighter finds solace in the belief that everything happens for a reason, and the future holds another opportunity for redemption.
“Just a little bit of math: the initial break happened in July. He re-broke it four months later. Admitted he rushed. Now, he’s saying he wants to come back in … five months? Calm down, Dan Hooker!” The poignant journey of Dan Hooker, marked by setbacks and determination, adds another chapter, leaving fans eagerly anticipating his triumphant return on the grand stage of UFC 300.
