Gaethje, a former interim titleholder and symbolic BMF champion below the promotion’s umbrella, was slated to return in simply weeks’ time towards the surging Kiwi striker, Hooker within the co-main occasion of UFC 313.
Nevertheless, this morning, Hooker revealed he had suffered a fractured hand forward of the bout, and would now not have the ability to compete towards Arizona veteran, Gaethje in a high-anticipated grudge struggle.
Justin Gaethje hoping to attain short-notice foe for UFC 313 return
And confirming his willingness to stay on the flagship occasion beneath a lightweight heavyweight title grudge match between Alex Pereira and Russian challenger, Magomed Ankalaev, Gaethje is at present in search of a short-notice opponent for his return to motion.
“(Dan) Hooker is out of the fight [at UFC 313],” Justin Gaethje posted on his Snapchat. “Waiting for a new opponent.”
To this point besides, a number of light-weight challengers have supplied to struggle the veteran knockout artist at UFC 313, together with the likes of latest UFC 311 headliner, Renato Moicano, in addition to past-foe, Rafael Fiziev, and Polish contender, Mateusz Gamrot.
Himself sidelined since he featured on the principle card of UFC 300 again in April of final yr, Gaethje suffered a spectacular fifth spherical buzzer-beating knockout loss to Max Holloway within the pair’s symbolic BMF title struggle in Las Vegas.
Notably, Gaethje beforehand took on the above-mentioned, Fiziev within the co-main occasion of UFC 286, combating over the course of three rounds towards the previous in a detailed, majority determination victory in London.
