The saga of Kiwi UFC star Dan Hooker has taken an unlikely and ironic twist.
Less than a fortnight ago, Hooker looked like he was stuck in New Zealand and unable to fight in UFC 266, because of a visa issue.
Now he's locked out of the country for the foreseeable future, after forgoing his managed isolation voucher to return home.
Instead of returning after last week's shutout win over Nasrat Haqparast, 'The Hangman' has taken an enticing offer as a late injury replacement to fight rising lightweight contender Islam Makhachev at UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi later this month.
"It's money to justify what they're asking me to do," Hooker tells The Mac Life.
The sacrifice means he's stranded outside of New Zealand indefinitely, separated from his wife and young daughter, whom he's considering relocating to join him in the United States.
The likelihood he'd have to train under lockdown regulations also helped sway that decision. He'll now have the freedom to train without restrictions, which will be critical, given the amount of wrestling he'll need to sharpen his tools for grappling wizard Makhachev.
"If you get another opportunity to feed your family… another opportunity to take care of everyone, it's a hard one to pass," Hooker adds.
Eugene Bareman - Hooker's coach at City Kickboxing - is also unsure when he'll next see his fighter after returning to New Zealand.
"He has a business, a wife and a baby, so it definitely wasn't an easy decision," Bareman says.
A win over Makhachev would bring much more than a big payday. The Russian has been touted as one of the most talented prospects in the UFC - the second coming of lightweight great Khabib Nurmagomedov.
A win over the undefeated 30-year-old would thrust Hooker right back into the thick of championship contention.
"I feel like this is a title eliminator," Hooker notes. "I feel like a dominant showing here definitely lines yourself up for the belt."
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