No. 8 ranked lightweight Dan Hooker gave his prediction for the future lightweight championship bout between no. 1 contender Dustin Poirier and UFC lightweight champion Charles Olivieria that could potentially take place at some point later this year.
Hooker picked ‘The Diamond’ to be victorious during an interview with Submission Radio.
“That’s an exciting fight,” Hooker said. “I’d like to see that fight. I’d like to see how it plays out. But yeah, I just don’t think Oliveira will be able to get [Poirier] down if I’m being honest.”
Hooker fought Poirier in the main event of UFC Vegas 4 in July 2020. Despite an incredibly contentious fight, ‘The Hangman’ lost a unanimous decision to Poirier in a scrap that earned both fighters a Fight of the Night bonus.
Poirier decisively won his fight with Hooker because of his pace going into the championship rounds. Hooker acknowledged that Poirier will have that edge in his fight with Oliveira as well.
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“I’d say Dustin is more durable and he enjoys that kind of fight, and those fourth and fifth rounds are his best rounds of the fight,” Hooker said. “From memory I can’t really remember Oliveira just really turning that pace up and really being able to match that kind of pace.
“I feel like Charles is an elite fighter. But I feel like just, Dustin stylistic wise, just has the tools to beat him.”
While the fight with Olivieira was not his immediate concern after he won his trilogy bout with Conor McGregor at UFC 264, ‘The Diamond’ said his title shot against ‘Do Bronx’ could take place toward the end of the year.
Dan Hooker picks Dustin Poirier to beat Charles Oliveira for lightweight title