The Dagestani earned his ninth consecutive triumph at UFC 267, as he rolled past Dan Hooker for a submission victory at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night. Makhachev used a kimura to force a tapout from “The Hangman” at the 2:25 mark of the opening stanza. It was Hooker’s first submission defeat since 2012.
“I feel good because I show my level – I don’t know how many minutes (it took),” Makhachev said at the UFC 267 post-fight press conference. “Now everybody going to talk like Hooker is an easy opponent, he don’t have grappling or wrestling. Hooker is tough. He beat a lot of wrestling, grappling guy too. He beat Gilbert Burns, many, many guys. I think I deserve now.
“When ]Michael] Chandler beat Hooker they give him title fight. Why not [me]? I am ready, too. I’m here not to beat 15 people and fight. I have nine fights [in a row now].”
Makhachev will have to wait for at least one fight, as reigning 155-pound champion Charles Oliveira is slated to face Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 on Dec. 12. The American Kickboxing Academy representative doesn’t mind holding off until after a winner emerges from that matchup.
“I think Poirier is gonna beat Oliveira,” Makhachev said. “Many things going to change in next couple months. That’s why I’m going to wait.