Dan Hooker’s loss may become another fighter’s gain. Multiple UFC lightweights raised their proverbial hands in the early morning hours Tuesday following Hooker’s announcement that he has withdrawn from his much-anticipated fight with Justin Gaethje on March 8 at UFC 313 due to an hand injury.
“Dad had a fight, or was supposed to have a fight, but I’ve busted me paw,” Hooker said on his daughter’s YouTube channel following an initial report by Australian media personality Benny P.
Hooker subsequently told Sky Sports New Zealand that he suffered a fractured left hand while sparring on Monday and is still unsure about his next step but hopes to “see if we can kick this fight down the road.” Hooker said he was “gutted for all the fans,” especially for this to happen so close to fight week.
Hooker and Gaethje were set to compete in the five-round co-main event of UFC 313 at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. Gaethje last fought in April, landing on the wrong end of 2024’s Knockout of the Year courtesy of Max Holloway’s now-iconic buzzer-beating finish at UFC 300’s ceremonial BMF title bout.
It is still unknown whether UFC will keep Gaethje (25-5) on next week’s card against a late-replacement opponent, but if that proves to be the case, the former UFC interim lightweight champion won’t be short on options. Three top-ranked lightweight contenders volunteered their services Tuesday, the first of whom was Rafael Fiziev, who lost a back-and-forth majority decision to Gaethje in 2023 that earned Fight of the Night honors at UFC 286.
Fiziev (12-3) has been out of action since suffering a knee injury in a September 2023 bout against Mateusz Gamrot.
Gamrot (24-3) also volunteered his services. The 34-year-old Polish contender most recently lost a close split decision to Hooker in August that earned UFC 305’s Fight of the Night award.
Lastly was Renato Moicano (20-6-1), who once again threw his name into the hat for a short-notice opportunity after suffering a first-round submission loss in an unexpected title shot against UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in January at UFC 311. Moicano, who had won four consecutive bouts prior to the setback, accepted that bout on a day’s notice following the last-minute withdrawal of Arman Tsarukyan.
2 weeks is good! I have enough time for 2 or 3 sparring sessions! I will be ready if they call! #ufc
— Renato Moicano (@moicanoufc) February 25, 2025
UFC 313 is headlined by a long-awaited light heavyweight title bout between UFC champion Alex Pereira and No. 1-ranked contender Magomed Ankalaev.
Uncrowned will continue to update this story as it develops.
