It was an opportunity to make it back into the top five of the lightweight division and get closer to the title, but ultimately Kiwi fighter Dan Hooker lost to Islam Makhachev moments ago at UFC 267.
It was a fight taken on a month's notice after Hooker defeated Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 266 in late September, taking place in front of a raucous Abu Dhabi crowd that cheered Makhachev from his walkout to his hands being raised..
The Dagestan native took down Hooker seconds into the first round, scrambling 'The Hangman' on the ground into side control, to lock in an almost-arm breaking Kimura Lock to get the submission win.
It is not confirmed if Hooker will drop in the lightweight rankings or keep his sixth rank as of yet.
City Kickboxing teammates Brad Riddell and Kai Kara-France will be the next New Zealand fighters to step into the octagon later in December.
