Dan Hooker knew he had to do something different this time around.
That is why Hooker believes he is better prepared for his next fight than the most recent ones.
Hooker will open the UFC 281 main card next weekend against Claudio Puelles. The bout airs live on ESPN+ pay-per-view from Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Following back-to-back losses to current UFC champion Islam Makhachev and Arnold Allen, the 32-year-old Hooker told Submission Radio he knew what had to be done. Overall, he has dropped four of his last five with the other losses coming to Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler.
“It’s been definitely the hardest push of my career,” Hooker said. “Like, the training camp and stuff like that. I guess with the amount of time that we’ve all been at that level, myself and Israel, and having I think like 20 fights in the UFC. Like, been there for along time.
“Been there for like eight years. So, just to find a new level after that is very difficult, and that takes a very big push. So, our coaches got together and kind of ramped up our training.
“And I feel like this has been the hardest training camp, or the hardest push of my career.”
