{"id":40213,"date":"2026-08-31T03:39:56","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T03:39:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sherdog.com\/news\/news\/Dan-Hooker-doubts-Ilia-Topuria-would-risk-Usman-Nurmagomedov-fight-202585"},"modified":"2026-08-31T03:39:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T03:39:56","slug":"dan-hooker-doubts-ilia-topuria-would-risk-usman-nurmagomedov-fight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.martialartskleinanzeigen.com\/videos\/dan-hooker-doubts-ilia-topuria-would-risk-usman-nurmagomedov-fight\/","title":{"rendered":"Dan Hooker doubts Ilia Topuria would risk Usman Nurmagomedov fight"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>\n

Dan
\nHooker<\/a> believes he\u2019s the perfect fighter to welcome other
\nlightweights to the
\nUltimate Fighting Championship<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hooker (24-14) is scheduled to welcome former two-division
\nKSW<\/a> champ Salahdine
\nParnasse<\/a> (23-2) to the UFC in enemy territory at
\nUFC Paris<\/a> on Sept. 5. With the
\nProfessional Fighters League<\/a> looking to retain Nurmagomedov
\n(22-0) and the UFC rumored to have strong interest in the Russian,
\nHooker is willing to take on the unbeaten lightweight.<\/p>\n

\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Dan Hooker offers to welcome Usman Nurmagomedov to the UFC for
\n\u2018danger money\u2019<\/h2>\n

Nurmagomedov is currently the most sought-after free agent in mixed
\nmartial arts after having exhausted his PFL contract. With the
\nDagestani hinting at a UFC signing, Hooker believes he is the ideal
\nopponent for the latest PFL lightweight champ\u2019s Octagon debut.<\/p>\n

While some fans are calling for a matchup between Nurmagomedov and
\nIlia
\nTopuria<\/a>, Hooker is certain Topuria won\u2019t take the risky
\nmatchup. The UFC veteran also believes that most top UFC
\nlightweights won\u2019t take the same risk and he recently reiterated
\nthat he doesn\u2019t mind putting himself on the line if he\u2019s
\ncompensated accordingly.<\/p>\n

Hooker also notes that he has previously welcomed former Bellator<\/a>
\nchampion Michael
\nChandler<\/a> to the UFC.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s a better welcoming party? It was the same thing with
\nChandler; it\u2019s the same thing with this Parnasse guy and it will be
\nthe same thing with Usman,\u201d Hooker told Submission Radio. \u201cNo one
\nelse will take the fight. People are like, \u2018Usman\u2019s gonna come in
\nand fight Ilia Topuria.\u2019 Be serious, you think Ilia Topuria is
\ngonna take the risk of fighting an unranked, non-UFC fighter? No
\none else is willing to take the risk\u2026 None of these other guys in
\nthe division want to risk it for the biscuit. So, they call up Dan
\nHooker; they offer him a bit of danger money and he welcomes these
\nboys to the big leagues.\u201d<\/p>\n