UFC Fighter Dan Hooker Shows Off Nasty Training Injury With Gruesome Lip Cut

Dan Hooker is facing a hard time inside the octagon recently. He has lost three consecutive fights by stoppage. Arman Tsarukyan submitted him last November, Benoît Saint Denis stopped him via TKO in February and Salahdine Parnasse finished him by first-round TKO at UFC Paris on Sept. 5.

Following this difficult stretch, the 36-year-old’s UFC record now stands at 14–11. Amid these struggles, he recently shared a new video that showed his time in training camp is also not going smoothly.

Dan Hooker Posts Video of Open Lip Cut From Training

Hooker fights Brian Ortega (16-5) in a three-round lightweight bout at UFC Qatar on November 21. During training for the fight, he has recently suffered an injury. 

He posted a four-second selfie video from a car, pulling down his lower lip to show a bloody cut before grinning at the camera. Championship Rounds reposted it, writing, "Dan Hooker shows off a cut on his lower lip from training."

Despite the rough training camp, "The Hangman" remains eager for the quick turnaround. He told Submission Radio that taking the Ortega fight just 11 weeks after his loss to Salahdine Parnasse was too good an opportunity to pass up. 

While advisors usually recommend six months off after a TKO, Hooker said he took very little damage because a liver shot finished him. He admitted to pressuring the promotion for the booking, explaining, "I just didn't get that disheartened, and the opportunity came up, and I harassed the UFC to get me back out there and give me the opportunity. And thanks to them."

Brian Ortega Fight Puts Hooker's Camp Under Scrutiny

Ortega has his own history of training injuries. He recently withdrew from a lightweight rematch against Renato Moicano at UFC 331 after a freak jiu-jitsu accident cut the area above his eye. The UFC then rebooked Ortega to face Dan Hooker on Nov. 21.

Hooker’s lip cut has 25 days to heal, but his recovery from the liver-shot knockout is the primary concern right now. Heavy sparring so close to the fight will test whether his body has fully healed.

Statistically, the matchup favors Hooker on the feet. According to AgentMMA, Hooker lands 4.8 significant strikes per minute with 48 percent accuracy and defends 77 percent of takedowns. Ortega absorbs a much higher 6.4 strikes per minute and defends just 54 percent of takedowns. 

However, half of Ortega’s eight UFC wins came by submission, making any ground scramble highly dangerous for Hooker as he fights to snap his losing streak.