A big fight in the UFC’s lightweight division is coming together to headline the UFC’s June 27th fight night card. Former title challenger, Dustin Poirier (25-6), is making his return to action following his title defeat last year at the hands of Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi.
Poirier will be facing off against Dan Hooker (20-8), who is coming off a split-decision victory over Paul Felder back in February, which was his third consecutive win. This is a massive fight for the lightweight division, considering both of these guys are currently in the top five in the UFC’s lightweight rankings.
For Poirier, this is a fight that can get him back on track. He was on an absolute tear prior to getting handled by the champion, Nurmagomedov. Poirier had wins over Max Holloway and current interim champion, Justin Gaethje. Poirier believes he didn’t show the best version of himself in his title loss to Nurmagomedov. This matchup is an excellent opportunity for Poirier to show off his skills in an impressive fashion, which could get him right back into title contention.
Step Up for The Hangman
For Dan Hooker, this is the chance that he’s been waiting on. Since 2017, Hooker has gone 7-1 with his lone loss being to Edson Barboza. Hooker has beaten Gilbert Burns, Al Iaquinta, and Paul Felder during that stretch. The Hangman is no joke, and this is his chance to really make a case for him being one of the best in the world.
This fight is very interesting, given the skill sets of both guys. You are likely going to see a standup war, and it should be a lot of fun. While they both have a 72-inch reach, Hooker seems to fight more to his height. He uses his legs a lot to keep his distance with calf kicks, but Poirier is one of the best in the business when it comes to getting inside and land some big shots. It’s going to be a fun fight to breakdown as we get closer to that event, but this is one that UFC fans should circle on their calendars. Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker are going to put on a show in a fight that is going to have a pretty big impact on the UFCs lightweight division.