Lightweight contender Dan Hooker suffered a hand injury that forced him out of a scheduled UFC 313 fight against former interim titleholder Justin Gaethje. Hooker fractured his hand during a sparring session preparing for the fight just days before the Las Vegas event.
Hooker underwent surgery to repair the fractured hand and posted a graphic video of the his cast being removed revealing a gruesome set of stitches.
“Look at that beauty,” Hooker can be heard in the video after seeing the massive stitched up laceration on top of his hand.
Dan Hooker getting his cast off and stitches removed post surgery
🎥 @danthehangman pic.twitter.com/J5jDoR8nfu
— Bond. WonderBond (@wonderbondmma) March 11, 2025
Hooker (24-12) is ranked No. 6 in the lightweight division and has won has last three fights. The exciting fighter has been plagued with injuries over the last couple of years.
He was scheduled to face Jalin Turner at UFC 285 but was forced to withdraw due to a hand injury. He was slated to take on King [Bobby] Green in December 2023 but an injury forced him out of the fight. Hooker fought once in 2024. The fractured hand that forced him out of the high-profile fight against Gaethje wasn’t the way he wanted to start 2025.
Rafael Fiziev stepped in as Hooker’s replacement against Gaethje and was defeated a second time by “The Highlight.”
