UFC on ESPN 52 just took a major hit.
Arguably the most anticipated bout in the card has fallen through, as [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] suffered an arm injury and is now out of his lightweight bout against [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag].
MMA Junkie confirmed the news with two sources Tuesday, following a first report from New Zealand Herald.
Both fan-favorite fighters were supposed to throw down in a five-round co-main event of UFC on ESPN 52, which goes down on Dec. 2 at Moody Center in Austin, Texas. The promotion has yet to announce the change and is currently seeking a replacement on short notice.
Hooker was looking to continue to build momentum following his loss at featherweight against Arnold Allen in 2022. Since then, he’s put together two wins, defeating Claudio Puelles and Jalin Turner.
Meanwhile, Green also finds himself on a two-fight winning streak. He knocked out Grant Dawson last month and submitted Tony Ferguson in July.