UFC 257 Odds: Dan Hooker vs. Michael Chandler Prediction

The co-main event of UFC 257 features an intriguing lightweight bout between No. 6 contender Dan Hooker and three-time Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler, from Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.

On most nights this fight would be the main event, but the fact that it isn’t shows how deep this lightweight division is. Chandler is making his UFC debut, but the promotion has been after him for 10 years and setting him up to immediately face a Top 10 opponent shows you what they think of him.

As a veteran UFC fighter, Hooker was always going to get the edge from oddsmakers, but after he opened as a -162 favourite, the line has continued to move and the odds are now nearly identical.  Hooker is still a very slim -120 favourite on the MMA odds board to win, with Chandler coming in at -110.

Dan Hooker UFC 257 Odds

Hooker (20-9) is a former pro kickboxer, who has scored knockouts in the UFC with punches, knees, elbows and even a head kick, helping him become a staple in the lightweight division’s Top 10. Since Hooker’s return to lightweight in 2017, he has gone 7-2 and picked up wins over veterans Paul Felder, Al Laquinta and Gilbert Burns. Hooker is coming off what many people consider to be the fight of the year, last June, although it ended in a unanimous decision loss to Dustin Poirier. In a crowded lightweight division, a decisive win on a huge pay-per-view event like this one, would go a long way to moving Hooker into title contention. The kickboxer is as tough as they come and with his devastating striking ability, he’s as close as he has ever been to getting his shot at the belt.

Facing a skilled wrestler, Hooker’s best strategy is to keep the fight standing up, as he holds a significant reach and height advantage over his opponent and he also has a great takedown defence of 77 per cent. Hooker is the better striker, averaging 4.35 significant strikes landed per minute with 43 per cent accuracy and although he absorbs 5.13 significant strikes per minute, he has a high defence of 54 per cent. Facing an unranked fighter making his UFC debut, Hooker will likely try to feel Chandler out before attempting to land a precise kick or knee to end the fight.

Michael Chandler UFC 257 Odds

Chandler (21-5) is making his UFC debut after spending the last decade as one of the UFC’s most coveted fighters. A three-time Bellator lightweight champion, the 34-year-old is getting thrown into the fire immediately, as Hooker is essentially a test. Chandler doesn’t have a large window to get a title shot, but a win against a notable opponent, like Hooker, would instantly move him into contention in a crowded lightweight division.

Although he holds knockout power and nine of his 21 wins are by KO (seven by submission, five by decision), the former collegiate wrestler’s ground game is where he shines. Chandler is a pressure fighter who likes to get his opponents back against the fence, where he either punishes them with his powerful right hand or looks for takedowns to finish them with his ground-and-pound game. He is a powerful striker, but Hooker is a tough fighter who has never been knocked out, so Chandler knows he needs to move this fight to the ground. Chandler’s best shot at a win is to wait out Hooker’s strikes and time a counterstrike perfectly, before putting Hooker on the mat where Chandler can control the fight.

Hooker vs. Chandler UFC 257 Prediction

This fight is essentially putting a wrestler and a kickboxer in a cage and watching the fireworks. With the kind of knockout power and aggressive style both of these fighters possess, this fight likely won’t go the distance. Chandler is a former Bellator champion and he has the potential to beat out some tough UFC opponents, but Hooker won’t be his first win. Hooker is too tough, too skilled and too experienced to lose this fight and if he doesn’t win it with a third round KO, he’ll get a unanimous decision.