Dan Hooker recently made it clear that he has no intention of facing Rafael Fiziev.
"The Hangman" is riding high after a closely contested split decision victory over the highly regarded Mateusz Gamrot on the main card of UFC 305 in Perth last month. This win has propelled Hooker back onto a three-fight win streak, into the top five, and also marked a notable revival of his career.
Hooker's recent success has caught the attention of Fiziev, who, earlier this month, threw down the gauntlet on X by challenging the 34-year-old Kiwi. Fiziev even dubbed the potential matchup a "Fight of the Year contender."
However, "Ataman's" ambitions seem to have been tossed into a cold bag by Hooker, who has expressed that he's no longer interested in the bout…
Hooker Puts Fiziev’s Form Behind Reluctance To Accept The Bout
During a recent interview with ENGAGE, Hooker addressed Fiziev's fight callout, revealing that he’s not keen on facing the 31-year-old Azerbaijani due to his recent string of losses.
"The Hangman" further explained that he had initially called out "Ataman" for a bout at UFC 305 but Fiziev’s request for more time meant that the opportunity has now passed.
Hooker is now aiming to fight within the top five.
I don't want to fight him. I'm not excited for that fight," Hooker said. "The guy's coming off two losses. He's sitting on the shelf. I called him out for the Perth card; I asked him if he wanted to fight on Perth, but he wasn't ready. Now he's ready, but that ship has long sailed, mate. That fight does not excite me;. Obviously, it excites him, but I have absolutely nothing to gain from that fight.
After his victory at UFC 305, Hooker expressed a keen interest in facing either Charles Oliveira or Justin Gaethje next, aiming to take a decisive step closer to securing his first title shot.
Meanwhile, Fiziev has been on the sidelines for a year following a severe knee injury sustained during his bout against Gamrot in the headliner of a UFC Fight Night event in September 2023.
Prior to that setback, "Ataman" experienced a hard-fought majority decision loss to Gaethje at UFC 286 in March of that yae. This defeat ended his impressive five-fight win streak, a run that featured pivotal victories over Rafael dos Anjos, Kevin Lee, and Renato Moicano.