Dan Hooker believes Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov’s opponents are sometimes intimidated earlier than the struggle begins.
Hooker (24-12 MMA, 14-8 UFC) skilled it first hand when he confronted present light-weight champion Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) at UFC 267 in October 2021. He was submitted within the first spherical.
When discussing Charles Oliveira, who was dropped and submitted by Makhachev of their title struggle at UFC 280, Hooker defined the psychological battle of going up in opposition to dominant fighters like Makhachev and Nurmagomedov.
“The parable of it’s larger than the precise job, they usually form of journey off the again of the parable of Khabib, and that’s bled into Makhachev, and you’ll see it,” Hooker informed Submission Radio. “It undoubtedly affected me. It’s larger than the precise man. In the event you simply boil it all the way down to the precise man, it makes it fairly a bit easier.”
Makhachev is anticipated to make his subsequent title protection in a rematch in opposition to Arman Tsarukyan, which is being mentioned because the UFC 311 headliner Jan. 18 in Inglewood, Calif. Of their first struggle, which was Tsarukyan’s UFC debut, Makhachev outgrappled him in a back-and-forth battle.
Hooker predicts their rematch to have a extra definitive ending.
“Islam (is) very defensively sound on the ft,” Hooker mentioned. “And I really feel like as soon as he has extra time to review and break down Arman’s counter-wrestling, I believe will probably be a extra dominant win for Islam within the second struggle.”
Since shedding to Makhachev, Hooker has gained three of his previous 4, most just lately edging out Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305 in August.
You should definitely go to the MMA Junkie Instagram web page and YouTube channel to debate this and extra content material with followers of combined martial arts.
