Dan Hooker has a date with destiny at UFC 257 when he meets former Bellator world champion Michael Chandler.
The lightweight showdown will serve as the co-headliner behind Conor McGregor's Octagon return against Dustin Poirer on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
'The Hangman' will welcome Chandler to the UFC and look to ruin Dana White's "shiny new toy", as Hooker refers to his opponent.
Buty Chandler has elite pedigree, having reigned atop Bellator's lightweight division for close to a decade.
The American wrestler is 21-5 as a professional and a three-time Bellator world champion. He holds career wins over two former UFC lightweight champions in Benson Henderson and Eddie Alvarez and was regarded for many years as the best 155-pounder in the world outside of the UFC.
MMA Junkie reporter Mike Bohn believes Chandler has the tools to force the Kiwi to fight from behind on the judges' scorecards.
"My one worry for Dan Hooker in this fight is a wrestling heavy game plan implemented by [Michael] Chandler," Bohn told Newshub.
"If Dan is down two rounds, he might not have enough to come over the top of Chandler in the final round and lose a close decision."
The fight represents a career crossroads for the 30-year-old Aucklander, who is hungry to establish himself as a genuine contender for the currently vacant UFC lightweight title.
Hooker came up short in one of the best fights of 2020 against Poirer, and in a division stacked with talent, he must avoid two straight defeats to stay relevant inside the top 10.w
While Bohn believes Hooker will end the night with his hand raised, he does acknowledge the pressure on No.6 ranked UFC lightweight.
"The most overused phrase in combat sports is 'biggest fight of his career', but for Dan this is what this fight represents.
"He's coming off two of the best fights in the history of the lightweight division, but lightweight is cutthroat and with so many viable contenders, he can't risk being labelled as a gatekeeper to the top five.
"If he wins this he's a fight away from a title shot - if he loses, the road to a world title shot is murky.
"I know Dan has ambitions to be a world champion, but he has to beat Chandler to realistically have any chance of achieving that goal."
The bout takes place in two weeks on January 24.
