Dan Hooker Withdraws From UFC 313

While 2025 has already offered plenty of unforgettable moments inside the Octagon, there’s one fight on the UFC 313 card (set for March 8th) that has had fight fans worldwide eagerly anticipating it.

The co-main event featuring Dan Hooker (24-12 MMA, 14-8 UFC) and Justin Gaethje (25-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas has likely taken the spotlight, overshadowing the main event between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev. This is due to both fighters’ reputation for consistently delivering some of the most brutal, action-packed fights the organization has ever seen.

However, it seems we may need to wait a bit longer for this exciting matchup. Australian MMA journalist BenDaMan broke the news on X as he tweeted:
“Unfortunate news but per sources Dan Hooker is out of his fight at UFC 313 unknown if Justin Gaethje will get a replacement or if they will rebook it for a later card“.

Hooker Points to Hand Injury

In a YouTube video posted shortly after the announcement by Hooker’s daughter Zoe, Hooker himself shared an update, hinting at a hand injury. He mentioned, “We did have a little break, we have been busy. Dad had a fight, or was supposed to have a fight but I’ve busted my paw“.

At this time, the UFC has not officially confirmed whether Gaethje will face a new opponent or if the Hooker matchup will simply be rescheduled for a later event.

Hooker’s recent resurgence had propelled him back into the upper ranks of the lightweight division, earning him the high-profile showdown with Gaethje. After an unsuccessful attempt to move down to featherweight in 2022, the Kiwi returned to 155 lbs, securing three consecutive wins to break into the top 6.

Gaethje has been a fixture at the division’s top for years. His only losses in the past five years have been in title bouts against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira. He also suffered a devastating knockout defeat in the BMF title fight against Max Holloway at UFC 300 last April.

Paul Browne

Paul Browne is a professional mixed martial arts commentator, feature writer and podcaster based in Dublin, Ireland.