Midnight Mania! Hooker Goes Under The Knife

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Dan Hooker’s presence at UFC Austin will be missed.

The Kiwi slugger was scheduled to face Bobby Green in the five-round co-main event this weekend (Sat. Dec. 2, 2023), but an injury last week derailed those plans. For the second time in less than six months, Hooker suffered a broken arm. According to Hooker, the injury happened again because his arm never fused properly the first time, and the only solution has been to go back under the knife for repair and an injection of bone marrow.

“The Hangman” waisted little time in getting the ball rolling, going back under the knife on Monday.

“Surgery done and dusted this morning,” Hooker wrote on Instagram. “Not my first and definitely won’t be my last time under the knife haha. Can see how this isn’t everyones cup of tea but I’m built for this game. Just a scratch baby, can’t wait to scrap again.”

Filling in for Hooker against Green will be Jalin Turner, the lanky Lightweight whose powerful kicks broke Hooker’s arm back in July. “The Tarantula” hasn’t fought since their back-and-forth war, so he’ll be looking to rebound from that close defeat. Green, meanwhile, won his last bout versus Grant Dawson with a shockingly quick KO and is looking to keep building momentum up the Lightweight ladder.

Perhaps the victor will end up in the cage with the repaired “Hangman” sometime in 2024.

pic.twitter.com/LecJaHHV5W— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) November 25, 2023

I’m very much looking forward to Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington. The pre-fight press conference … less so.

Khamzat Chimaev is working with Olympic gold medalists and refining his wrestling further.

November 26, 2023

In the Bang Muay Thai system, following a right hand with a roll into a left high kick is referred to as the Condit (for good reason).

Derek Brunson looks the same, just a bit more lubricant and different lighting.

PFL vs UFC physique. I saw the debates online Steroid / PEDs or natural. Answer : never took any steroids or peds ever . Attention to details , no sodas , no chips , no candy , 10-15 miles of running for 10-12 weeks . The motivation was different ! pic.twitter.com/TrWbfVz601

— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) November 26, 2023

Mike Perry is an icon, and nobody can tell me otherwise.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

I don’t endorse children fighting in professional competition, but damn if those kids can’t strike with tremendous form and technique.

Fun fact – Phetjeeja beat Songchainoi in 2012. The former child prodigy rapidly gained fame in Thailand as the “girl that could defeat boys”.

Both fighters are currently undefeated in ONE Championship, 4-0 and 5-0 respectively. pic.twitter.com/Lo88pnVhlu

— Beyond Kickboxing (@Beyond_Kick) November 27, 2023