Dan Hooker’s triumph over Jalin Turner in a hard-fought split decision victory at UFC 290 came with a significant price. Despite facing a challenging situation when he was wobbled in the second round, ‘The Hangman’ showed resilience and managed to knock down his opponent in the same round. While Hooker emerged as the winner through a split decision, he also left the octagon with the unfortunate consequence of suffering from a pair of broken bones. This serves as a testament to the physical toll and sacrifices that fighters often endure in their pursuit of victory within the demanding world of mixed martial arts.

Dan Hooker suffers a broken orbital bone in the face after the match against Jalin Turner (Credits- Twitter/@arielhelwani, YouTube)

After a chaotic 15 minutes of heated action on the main card of the pay-per-view event at T-Mobile Arena this past Saturday, Hooker (23-12 MMA, 13-8 UFC) was declared the victor by two of the official judges against Jalin Turner (13-7 MMA, 6-4 UFC). Throughout the match, both competitors consistently landed hard, destructive strikes.

During his post-fight in-cage interview, UFC commentator Joe Rogan questioned Hooker whether he fractured his arm during the fight, to which “Hangman” replied, “Just a scratch.” Hooker released an X-ray of his fractured arm shortly after the fight, but the damage didn’t end there.

While fans originally applauded Hooker’s resilience, news of another bone break has increased their respect for “The Hangman.” Dan Hooker sustained a broken orbital bone as well as a broken hand in his UFC 290 fight against Jalin Turner. 

Fans have been in shock and awe since Hooker showed what a fighter should be like. Many fans were in shock after Jalin Turner landed a devastating head kick to Hooker’s face. Hooker stood unfazed by the kick with no reactions. Fans took no time to react and said, “These guys don’t get paid enough.” The fans were very skeptical after the incident.

“Still in disbelieve how on earth he ate that headkick” Another fan commented on Twitter. A fan jokingly said Hooker should be held in a Museum after his career. “Dan is the definition of a BMF – he might not hold the belt, but he’s never turned down a fight.” Another fan wrote.

Dan Hooker faces probable 6-month medical suspension

UFC 290 showcased a number of action-packed matches from Alexandre Pantoja becoming the new champ and Dan Hooker winning against Jalin Turner via split decision. It was a fitting spectacle for international fight week offering fans everything they could’ve hoped for.

However, the price for such exhilarating matches for much more than expected for Dan Hooker. “The Hangman” later revealed in a social media post that he suffered a broken arm and face.

As per reports from MMA Junkie, the injuries seem to be quite critical. The Hangman would be undergoing surgery immediately for the same. Hooker’s recovery time from his injury is unknown, but when he returns, he’ll attempt to extend his winning run to three fights.

Dan Hooker has dropped out of the top 10 in the lightweight class due to a string of losses in the past few years. During the UFC 290 media day, though, the New Zealander hinted that he is still looking for the lightweight title.