New Zealand lightweight contender Dan Hooker has pulled out of his scheduled five-round co-main event fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 313 next Saturday due to a broken hand. Hooker revealed the news on his daughter’s YouTube channel, stating he broke his paw while sparring and had a CT scan confirm the fracture.
Hooker expressed disappointment over being forced to withdraw from the highly anticipated bout, which could have determined the next lightweight title challenger. He is uncertain whether the promotion will wait for him to recover or rebook the fight with another fighter in less than two weeks’ notice. Rafael Fiziev, Mateusz Gamrot, and Renato Moicano are among those willing to step up and replace Hooker against Gaethje.
The withdrawal comes as a setback for fans who were excited about the highly anticipated matchup between “The Hangman” and the No. 2-ranked lightweight contender Justin Gaethje.
Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/2/25/24372715/dan-hooker-reveals-cause-of-injury-that-forced-him-out-of-ufc-313-the-lords-of-war-were-not-happy