Renato Moicano called Brian Ortega vs. Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar on Nov. 21 'the worst fight in the UFC'; Hooker's lip cut, shown in a deleted clip, has not put the bout in doubt.
From 5 reports by 5 outletsLatest Moicano calls Ortega vs. Hooker 'the worst fight in the UFC' 5 outlets
What we know
- Ortega vs. Hooker is booked for UFC Qatar on Nov. 21, on a card headlined by Jiri Prochazka vs. Navajo Stirling.
- Hooker is coming off a stoppage loss to Salahdine Parnasse last month, his third consecutive loss in the Octagon.
- Moicano is booked to face Tom Nolan in the UFC Vegas 123 main event on Oct. 31 after turning down a third Ortega date.
Reported, not confirmed
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Hooker appeared to post and then delete a video showing a lip cut; the clip was reposted by Championship Rounds on X.
Bloody Elbow
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No one has said the Ortega fight is in jeopardy, and Hooker has not explained why the video was deleted.
Knockout Daily
Renato Moicano has offered a blunt review of a fight that has not happened yet. In a clip shared by Full Send MMA on X, he said Brian Ortega vs. Dan Hooker "is gonna be the worst fight in the UFC" and that he does not know how the UFC made it. It lands just as Hooker's camp has drawn attention for a different reason.
Hooker appeared to post a video of a cut on his lip and then take it down, according to Bloody Elbow. Pages including Championship Rounds on X reposted it. In the clip he sits in his car, swears and laughs the injury off. Bloody Elbow reads it as a sign he will have to delay his next sparring session. Nobody has said the fight is in jeopardy, and Hooker has not explained why the video disappeared, according to Knockout Daily.
The timing is tight. Hooker was stopped by Salahdine Parnasse last month, his third consecutive loss in the Octagon, and chose a quick turnaround. Ortega will be his third fight of the year, on a card headlined by Jiri Prochazka vs. Navajo Stirling. Hooker is 36 and fights at lightweight for New Zealand, and he has said he understands fans questioning his future given his current run.
He has also been candid about his preparation. In April he said he had been coasting through fights and was far less dedicated than before. He said the last camp where he gave maximum effort was for his 2022 fight with Claudio Puelles, which came after consecutive losses, and that he drank every day while preparing for Mateusz Gamrot.
Moicano has a link to this booking. Our records show he is set to fight Tom Nolan in the UFC Vegas 123 main event on Oct. 31 after turning down a third Ortega date, so his criticism comes from someone who passed on the matchup.
What to watch for is whether the cut heals in time for full sparring and whether Hooker or his team says anything more before fight week. A fourth straight loss would sharpen the questions about his future.
Hooker appeared to post a video of a cut on his lip and then take it down, according to Bloody Elbow. Pages including Championship Rounds on X reposted it. In the clip he sits in his car, swears and laughs the injury off. Bloody Elbow reads it as a sign he will have to delay his next sparring session. Nobody has said the fight is in jeopardy, and Hooker has not explained why the video disappeared, according to Knockout Daily.
The timing is tight. Hooker was stopped by Salahdine Parnasse last month, his third consecutive loss in the Octagon, and chose a quick turnaround. Ortega will be his third fight of the year, on a card headlined by Jiri Prochazka vs. Navajo Stirling. Hooker is 36 and fights at lightweight for New Zealand, and he has said he understands fans questioning his future given his current run.
He has also been candid about his preparation. In April he said he had been coasting through fights and was far less dedicated than before. He said the last camp where he gave maximum effort was for his 2022 fight with Claudio Puelles, which came after consecutive losses, and that he drank every day while preparing for Mateusz Gamrot.
Moicano has a link to this booking. Our records show he is set to fight Tom Nolan in the UFC Vegas 123 main event on Oct. 31 after turning down a third Ortega date, so his criticism comes from someone who passed on the matchup.
What to watch for is whether the cut heals in time for full sparring and whether Hooker or his team says anything more before fight week. A fourth straight loss would sharpen the questions about his future.
- Summary
- Renato Moicano called Brian Ortega vs. Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar on Nov. 21 'the worst fight in the UFC'; Hooker's lip cut, shown in a deleted clip, has not put the bout in doubt.
- Key points (one per line)
- Moicano said he does not know how the UFC made Ortega vs. Hooker, calling it 'the worst fight in the UFC'.
Hooker showed a lip cut in a video that was deleted but reposted; nobody has said the Nov. 21 fight is in doubt.
Hooker is coming off a stoppage loss to Salahdine Parnasse, his third straight Octagon loss.
- Also reported by (Name | URL per line)
- Bloody Elbow | https://bloodyelbow.com/2026/10/26/dan-hooker-seemingly-posts-and-deletes-injury-update-weeks-out-from-ufc-qatar-return/
Yardbarker MMA | https://www.yardbarker.com/mma/articles/dan_hooker_seemingly_posts_and_deletes_injury_update_weeks_out_from_ufc_qatar_return/s1_17651_44474908
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/dan-hooker-deletes-gruesome-injury-clip-less-than-a-month-before-facing-brian-ortega
Sherdog | https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Renato-Moicano-calls-Ortega-vs-Hooker-worst-fight-in-the-UFC-203390
Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/80369c04-b4b0-48a5-87e3-d7209db19d33/renato-moicano-brian-ortega-dan-hooker-worst-fight-in-the-ufc-qatar
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