Dan Hooker had to pull out of the UFC Austin co-main event against Bobby Green due to a broken arm, which required surgery. This was the same arm that Hooker had previously injured. The initial injury didn’t heal properly, and despite his efforts to protect it, the arm suffered further damage during sparring. The fighter underwent surgery again, with a larger plate inserted and bone marrow from his hip injected to ensure proper healing.
The 33-year-old fighter had also dealt with a hand injury earlier in the year, causing a fight postponement. Hooker, who typically has been one of the UFC’s most active fighters, admitted that he would have competed with the broken arm against Bobby Green if his team hadn’t intervened.
Now, Hooker expects to be back in training in three months and aims to fully heal the arm, setting a target of five months for his return to action. He acknowledges that the ship has likely sailed on the Bobby Green fight, and he isn’t in a rush to call anyone out. With the lightweight division potentially changing by the time he returns, Hooker anticipates that his next matchup will likely be determined by who others in the division are reluctant to face.