Dan Hooker Questions What the BMF Title Has Become With Brutal Dig at UFC’s “Nice Guys”
The UFC's BMF title has never been everyone's cup of tea:
It all started with Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244, and the belt has since become synonymous with some of the sport's most memorable exchanges. Charles Oliveira's grappling-heavy win over Max Holloway at UFC 326 has brought the debate back into focus.
This time, Dan Hooker isn't holding back. The lightweight contender has taken aim at Oliveira while questioning what the BMF title has become, arguing that the UFC has strayed too far from the kind of fighters and personalities it was originally meant to represent.
Gladiator versus gladiator. Two of the promotion’s toughest, most battle-hardened fighters stepping into the Octagon with one thing on their mind: war! Unyielding just an all-out war. That was the spirit behind the UFC’s BMF title when the promotion introduced it in 2019.
“Gamebred” and Diaz delivered on that promise at UFC 244, giving fans the kind of gritty slugfest the belt was created to represent. Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier then carried that legacy forward at UFC 291, before Max Holloway produced one of the most unforgettable moments in the title’s history, before the latter bested "The Diamond" again at UFC 318.
From Nate Diaz to Charles Oliveira: Dan Hooker Questions the BMF Title’s Direction
At UFC 300, Holloway knocked out Gaethje with just one second remaining, turning their clash into an instant classic. The BMF title’s identity has come under scrutiny since UFC 326. Oliveira defeated the Hawaiian by unanimous decision, relying on his grappling to take Holloway down five times and control him for nearly 21 minutes of their 25-minute fight.
It was a dominant performance nevertheless, but one that looked a long way removed from the all-out violence and willingness to trade that had come to define the belt.
Fans were quick to voice their disappointment. Now, 24-15-0 lightweight contender Hooker is adding his own criticism to the debate. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Submission Radio, the 36-year-old was asked for his assessment of Oliveira’s victory over Holloway. And he did not hold back.
“It was cool for a bit, and then he kind of made it not cool. I think he killed it.” The 36-year-old then explained what he believes the BMF title was supposed to represent, arguing that the UFC has lost sight of the kind of fighters who should be competing for it.
“You know where they fked it up? They should have kept it like Nate Diaz, Masvidal kind of shit. They completely fked it when they were like – They had badass motherf**kers fighting for it like that, but then it should be the guys that want to throw down and just talk shit as well.”
Hooker on BMF Title Being Offered Only to Certain Fighters
The Kiwi went on to name the fighters he believes fit that mould, suggesting that the belt should be reserved for personalities who bring more than just their performances inside the Octagon.
“That was kind of like me, Bobby Green, could lose 20 times and he’s still a BMF contender. Then they had Max do it, and he’s like the nicest guy in the f**king world.”
For Hooker and the millions of fans who echo his take, the BMF title was never meant to be another prize for the sport’s most polished and consistent contenders. It was supposed to belong to fighters who are willing to talk, trade blows and embrace the chaos, even if their records were far from spotless.
He made that distinction even clearer while explaining why he believes the UFC has moved away from the belt’s original identity.
“Talk sh*t. Say you’re going to knock the other guy’s head off; that was like our belt. That was the guys whose careers are a f**king mess. ‘Gamebred’ was hot and cold for a minute; Nate Diaz, all our records are a f*cking mess. It’s going to be a lot harder for us to get our hands on the nice, shiny, clean one. That’s what I’m saying: they let too many nice guys have a crack.”
What’s Next for Dan Hooker?
As the debate continued to gather momentum following UFC 326, Oliveira made it clear that he would have no issue with the promotion stripping him of the BMF title if it came to that. Hooker, meanwhile, has his own concerns to deal with inside the Octagon.
The New Zealander is coming off a loss to Salahdine Parnasse at the UFC's return to Paris and is now preparing to face Brian Ortega later this month. It is a crucial matchup for Hooker, who has lost three consecutive fights since his victory over Mateusz Gamrot.
Ortega, however, is also looking to put a difficult spell behind him, having spent an extended period on the sidelines due to injuries. As for Oliveira, he is set to defend his BMF title against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 in a thriller next month.
