Dan Hooker Explains Quick UFC Return, Confirms Brian Ortega Won't Pull Out

The quick turnaround has raised eyebrows. Fans wanted the Kiwi to recover for a while before entering the octagon again. But Hooker has no plans to wait and has revealed why he is eager to fight again so soon.

Dan Hooker is on a three-fight losing skid. He was submitted by Arman Tsarukyan last year at UFC Qatar. After that, at UFC 325, he was knocked out by Benoit Saint Denis, and most recently, "The Hangman" was TKO'd in the first round at UFC Paris by newcomer Salahdine Parnasse.

After suffering two back-to-back TKO losses in a year, fighters usually like to sit out, recover, and then try to return to winning ways the next year.

However, "The Hangman" has no such plans. The 36-year-old is already slated to return at UFC Qatar on November 21, where he will lock horns with Brian Ortega.

Dan Hooker Confident he can Beat Brian Ortega: "F**K, surely"

While speaking to Ariel Helwani just yesterday, Dan Hooker revealed why he's coming back just 11 weeks after his TKO loss to the aforementioned Parnasse. He said:

"When you just get out there and don't really get to show anything, that's frustrating. I put in a really hard training camp, made some pretty big improvements in my consistency and training, and I just didn't get to show it. Then I saw Tom Nolan was matched with Moicano, so I called my manager Ash and said, ‘F***, surely I can beat Brian Ortega.’ I was like, ‘F***, he's old as well. Surely I can beat Brian Ortega.’ The UFC liked that fight, so I got it.”

Brian Ortega Becoming Notorious for Pulling Out of UFC Fights

Ortega was scheduled to face Renato Moicano in a rematch at UFC 326. But "T-City" had to pull out due to injury.

A few months later, the bout was rebooked, and the two were going to meet this time at UFC 331. However, a few days before the event, Ortega had to withdraw again, after which Moicano faced Tom Nolan at UFC Vegas 123 this past weekend.

Regarding rumors that Ortega will once more be pulling out, Hooker quipped:

“I'm excited to see who I'm going to be fighting in Qatar. The amount of fake news saying that Brian Ortega's pulled out, blah, blah, blah. I don't think I've ever had an opponent pull out. I must have a very punchable face. People think they can beat me up because no one ever pulls out on me. I'm excited to fight Brian Ortega. It's a big fight. I feel like everyone wants to see that fight.”

Check out Dan Hooker's comments below:

Hooker also confirmed that, so far, there has been no news of "T-City" pulling out, and the UFC does not have a backup in case he does. He also added:

"I want Brian Ortega on that day. That's who I have been training for. That's who I have been preparing for."