Justin Gaethje says Dan Hooker is “getting merked” by Dustin Poirier

UFC interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje says that Dan Hooker is “getting merked” by Dustin Poirier when they fight in a few weeks.

Gaethje, who is coming off of a fifth-round TKO win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 to take home the title, chimed in on a comment that Hooker said recently suggesting that he will finish Poirier. Gaethje knows Poirier well considering he was knocked out by him two years ago, and he didn’t agree with Hooker’s assessment of the upcoming fight.

Check out Gaethje throwing some shade at Hooker below on his Twitter.

https://twitter.com/Justin_Gaethje/status/1273009913162272769

“This dude is getting merked.”

Hooker is one of the hottest fighters at the moment in the UFC lightweight division, having won seven of eight fights since moving up to 155lbs. In his last fight at UFC Auckland, Hooker won a narrow split decision over Paul Felder in one of the best fights of the year. He’s currently riding a three-fight win streak with victories over Al Iaquinta and James Vick since suffering his lone loss as a lightweight to Edson Barboza in December 2018.

As for Poirier, he is coming off of a submission loss to UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov back at UFC 242. Before that, Poirier had won four straight fights over Max Holloway, Eddie Alvarez, Anthony Pettis, and of course Gaethje. Poirier knocked out Gaethje back at UFC on FOX 29 in April 2018. Since moving up to the UFC lightweight division in 2015, Poirier is 9-2, 1 NC as a lightweight.

Gaethje takes on Nurmagomedov next at UFC 253 in a title unification bout between the two best fighters at 155lbs in the world. The winner of Hooker vs. Poirier will surely figure into the title conversation after that, though UFC superstar Conor McGregor seems to have the inside edge when it comes to a title shot if he wants to wait for it.

Do you agree with Justin Gaethje that Dustin Poirier will beat Dan Hooker?