‘It’s cheating’: UFC star Dan Hooker blasts controversial tactic

A UFC star has slammed a controversial move that has affected several recent fights, likening the practice to cheating and drug taking.

LAS VEGAS, NV - SEPTEMBER 25: Dan Hooker before his Lightweight fight against Nasrat Haqparast during UFC 266 at T-Mobile Arena on September 25, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)

UFC star Dan Hooker has urged the sport to crack down on last minute weight division changes, saying the tactic is “tantamount to cheating”.

His comments come after Brazilian Paulo Costa turned up to his middleweight fight with Marvin Vettori at last weekend’s UFC Vegas 41 too heavy.

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Costa successfully negotiated to make the fight a light heavyweight contest instead, but lost the five-round fight in a unanimous decision anyway.

UFC legend Nick Diaz also managed to have the weight limit of his recent rematch with Robbie Lawler changed following a last-minute request.

Hooker will take on Islam Makhachev in a lightweight fight at UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi on Sunday (AEDT) as part of the main card ahead of the headline light heavyweight clash between Jan Blachowicz vs Glover Teixeira.

When asked if the UFC was setting a bad precedent by allowing fighters to change weight classes on the eve of bouts, Hooker called for said it had to be clamped down immediately.

“I feel like it’s a bad thing for the longevity of the sport, definitely,” Hooker told news.com.au.

“It’s bad look. It’s unprofessional. They’ll put a stop to it at some stage. You just can’t let it continue. I know full well they’re not going to continue to let it happen.

“This will kind of be the catalyst. Nick Diaz is a whole different story. That’s a guy that’s given a couple decades to the sport.

“He kind of earned the right to do it whereas Paulo Costa I feel like was a bit of a wakeup call that he was able to hold the fans, hold the UFC at ransom by just showing up too heavy.

“It’s just bad for the sport in general. What other sport can you just show up and one of the main principles of the sport just completely disregard and say it’s irrelevant.”

Dan Hooker wants the UFC to crack down on last minute weight changes. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC)

Hooker went even further, arguing not making weight was cheating and comparing it to taking performance enhancing drugs.

“It’s a weight class sport,” he said.

“It’s tantamount to cheating. You agree to make the weight to make the fight fair. That’s why we show up on weight. That’s why we both have a weigh in and all of that.

“It’s tantamount to cheating. It should be treated the same as taking steroids.

“It should be treated the same as something like that because you’re getting an unfair advantage, which is just not on.”

The Kiwi said if his opponent asked to change their weight class, he’d be furious and would want to settle scores in an old-fashioned way.

“It’s not my opponent,” he said. “I know my opponent’s going to show up on weight. We would have a very big problem.

“I don’t mean I would call the fight off or not take the fight or something like that.

“If my opponent showed up and said I’m not even going to try and make the weight, what are you going to do about it? I’ll beat you up in the carpark. That’s what I’m going to do about it.

“It’s not something I take very lightly. It’s not something I would let slide.”

Weight class changes are akin to cheating and drug taking, says Hooker. Photo: Michael Klein.

Hooker goes into this weekend’s fight as a huge outsider against Makhachev, who is seen as one of the rising star’s of UFC.

But the 31-year-old rates his chances against the Russian and believes he can win.

“I’m prepared for absolutely anything,” he said.

“I’m prepared to go out there and outclass him. I’m prepared to go out there and get in a dogfight, I’m prepared to go out there and get absolutely exhausted and work my way out back towards a win.”

The pair had an amusing back-and-forth on social media this week, when Hooker tweeted asking the fight to be extended from three to five rounds, to which Makhachev replied: “It’s worse for you”.

It’s unclear if the UFC hierarchy will allow such a change but Hooker said he would love to go two more rounds in the Octagon with his foe.

“I took what he said as a yes,” he said.

“If we both agree on it, I don’t see what the hold up is. That’s just how good I feel.

Dan Hooker will have his work cut out against Islam Makhachev. (AAP Image/Michael Dodge)

“That’s just a testament to the training that I’ve been doing these last few weeks and I’m feeling good and I’m feeling prepared. All that is showing my confidence for this fight.

“I’ll bump into some of the higher ups I’ll have to ask them and let them know. But that’s a yes from me, that’s a yes from him, let’s get it done.

“I don’t see what the big problem is. You just hit the bell a couple more times. Like who’s losing out? The fans are not losing out. I feel like the common consensus is they want it.

“I feel like from what people have been saying, they’re all in agreeance that two extra rounds is not bad for the fans and I’m happy to do it.

“He backs himself, I back myself, that’s what people want to see. They want to see a fight between two guys that have come in at their absolute best and that’s how I feel.”

The Hooker vs Makhachev fight, along with the full fight, will be available to watch on Main Event or stream via Kayo for PPV $54.95 at 1pm on Sunday (AEDT).

Originally published as ‘It’s cheating’: UFC star Dan Hooker blasts controversial tactic