Kiwi UFC lightweight Dan Hooker's camp insists he has plenty of fight left in him, after a shock knockout defeat to Michael Chandler.
Fighting at UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi, Hooker fell to an early onslaught from the American, floored by a heavy overhand left that spelled the beginning of the end in the first round.
After the loss, a frustrated Hooker threw his gloves inside the Octagon - a traditional symbol of retirement.
But one of Hooker's trainers at Auckland's City Kickboxing, Mike Angove, insists the 30-year-old isn't walking away from the sport just yet and his outburst was merely a product of frustration.
"I doubt it very much," Angove tells Newshub. "Dan sets really high standards for himself and he quite simply would've been gutted.
"He would've been incredibly disappointed."
Fighters retiring in the immediate emotional aftermath of a loss is common in combat sports, but Angove is adamant that was not the case here.
"You've got to allow a fighter a moment to get through emotions. You also have to remember he took a decent shot as well.
"You need time to sit with yourself, to spend with your family, to speak to the people around you."
The emphatic nature of Hooker's second straight loss means the Aucklander faces a hard road back to title contention, especially considering the logjam at the top of the lightweight division vying for a shot at the retired Khabib Nurmagomedov's vacated belt.
But a host of exciting potential match-ups still exist for 'The Hangman', including the likes of Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee.
"Dan has a long career ahead of him," Angove adds. "He has plenty to offer that division.
"All you can do is pick yourself up, have a look at what went wrong and put it right next time."
