Dan Hooker doubts Ilia Topuria would risk Usman Nurmagomedov fight

Dan Hooker has offered himself as the ideal welcome-wagon opponent for Usman Nurmagomedov should the unbeaten PFL lightweight champion sign with the UFC. Hooker (24-14), scheduled to face former two-division KSW champion Salahdine Parnasse (23-2) at UFC Paris on September 5, believes he is the perfect fighter to introduce elite free agents to the Octagon.

Nurmagomedov (22-0) is currently the most sought-after free agent in mixed martial arts after exhausting his PFL contract. While some fans have speculated about a potential matchup between Nurmagomedov and featherweight champ Ilia Topuria, Hooker is convinced Topuria will not take the risk of facing an unranked newcomer. According to Hooker, most top UFC lightweights share the same hesitation.

Hooker pointed to his history of stepping up on short notice to face high-profile debuts, most notably welcoming former Bellator champion Michael Chandler to the UFC. "No one else will take the fight," Hooker told Submission Radio. "So, they call up Dan Hooker; they offer him a bit of danger money and he welcomes these boys to the big leagues." Hooker remains willing to face Nurmagomedov if properly compensated, positioning himself as the logical first opponent for the Russian's UFC debut.