Justin Gaethje gained’t be combating Dan Hooker at UFC 313, however he has no scarcity of opponents prepared to step as much as problem him.
A bevy of high-profile lightweights have volunteered their providers to exchange Hooker after “The Hangman” introduced Tuesday {that a} hand harm has compelled him out of his March 8 battle with Gaethje.
Rafael Fiziev was first to throw his hat within the ring, reacting to the unlucky information a bit over an hour after it broke.
“Let’s run it again,” Fiziev wrote on Twitter.
Fiziev misplaced a majority determination to Gaethje at UFC 286, a bout that gained Combat of the Night time honors. “Ataman” has been itching for a return to motion since injuring his knee within the second spherical of a bout towards Mateusz Gamrot. The setback has stored Fiziev on the shelf since September 2023, however a win over Gaethje would put him within the thick of the light-weight title race.
Talking of Gamrot, he additionally took to Twitter to specific his willingness to battle Gaethje. In his most up-to-date outing at UFC 305 this previous August, Gamrot misplaced a cut up determination to Hooker and he’s desperate to get again within the win column.
“My battle with Hooker was very shut and he bought fortunate with the judges,” Gamrot wrote in a tweet tagging Gaethje’s account. “Time to repair it and show it.”
To nobody’s shock, the at all times sport Renato Moicano additionally seems to be volunteering for the short-notice alternative. He wrote on Twitter, “Two weeks is sweet. I’ve sufficient time for 2 or three sparring classes. I can be prepared in the event that they name.”
A tweet from the account of his podcast Present Me the Cash additionally steered his curiosity.
2 weeks is sweet! I’ve sufficient time for two or 3 sparring classes! I can be prepared in the event that they name! #ufc
— Renato Moicano (@moicanoufc) February 25, 2025
“Cash” Moicano has developed a fame for combating anytime, anyplace, with the newest instance being his last-second title battle towards light-weight champion Islam Makhachev this previous January. UFC 311 was presupposed to be headlined by Makhachev defending his title towards Arman Tsarukyan, however when a again harm compelled Tsarukyan off the cardboard only a day earlier than battle evening, Moicano was pulled from a battle with Beneil Dariush to problem Makhachev as an alternative.
Although Moicano was submitted within the first spherical and noticed a four-fight win streak snapped, his willingness to tackle the No. 1 Pound-for-Pound fighter on the earth meant he misplaced little by way of recognition.
The UFC has not issued any official phrase on the standing Gaethje vs. Hooker, so it’s doable the matchup might be rescheduled quite than Gaethje combating a short-notice opponent subsequent Saturday.
UFC 313 takes place at T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas on March 8. In the primary occasion, Alex Pereira defends his mild heavyweight title towards Magomed Ankalaev.
