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Michael Chandler defeated Dan Hooker in his first appearance in the UFC. The former Bellator champion recently praised his former opponent, noting that he is hoping to see him put together a winning streak.
Speaking on the UFC's official YouTube channel ahead of UFC 284, Chandler shared that Hooker is among his favorite fighters. Highlighting the Kiwi's likeability, 'Iron' said:
"I think Dan Hooker is one of my favorite fighters, in and out of the octagon. He's just a good dude. He's a family man. People like him. He's always shown up. He's always fought extremely hard and he's very talented. It was great to see him put together a win in his last fight. I do think, things can turn on a dime in this sport."
Chandler further added that he is looking forward to seeing Hooker return to the top of the division:
"I think Dan Hooker, we could see a resurgence of Dan Hooker very soon. He's got all the talent in the world. I'm excited to see Dan put together some wins and stay inside that top ten."
Watch Michael Chandler's comments on Dan Hooker below (1:53):
Dan Hooker defeated Claudio Puelles at UFC 281 after a stretch which saw him lose four out of five fights, starting with his UFC 257 loss to Chandler. He was scheduled to face Jalin Turner at UFC 285, however, he was forced to withdraw after breaking his hand.
Michael Chandler shares prediction for upcoming Conor McGregor bout
Michael Chandler will face Conor McGregor in the former double champion's highly anticipated return to the octagon. Chandler and McGregor are set to feature as coaches in the next season of The Ultimate Fighter.
Speaking with Brett Okamoto of ESPN MMA, Michael Chandler shared that he envisions himself picking up a second-round finish:
"I'm going to get in his space right away and make him take a backward step right away, and he's going to feel my presence from the very beginning of the fight and then from there wherever the fight takes us. If I want to pick him up and put him down, I can pick him up and put him down, and put a beating on him, and get a submission that way. I believe I finish Conor in the second round."
Catch Michael Chandler's comments on his upcoming bout with Conor McGregor below (29:15):
McGregor has won just one fight since 2016. The former double champion and Chandler are both just 1-3 in their past four bouts. Not only is this matchup as explosive as it gets, it's also a must-win for both fighters.
