Dan Hooker knew exactly what he was signing up for at UFC 313. A five-round war with Justin Gaethje was never going to be a smooth ride. In an interview with ESPN Australia, ‘The Hangman’ confessed, “I know full well, 100 percent that no matter whether his arm gets raised, my arm gets raised, I’m going straight on a stretcher.”The fans may have been expecting a war, but it looks like fate had other plans. The MMA world has been reeling with the news of Hooker now being out of UFC 313. While details remain scarce, a few reports have emerged that highlighted why the ‘The Hangman’ won’t be inside the Octagon on March 8.According to an update shared by ‘Spinnin Backfist’ on X, “Dan Hooker is out of UFC 313. Hand injury. Pain.”Dan Hooker is out of UFC 313.Hand injury.Pain. pic.twitter.com/clNumyMLNl— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) February 25, 2025Short, blunt, and devastating for fans who had been eagerly anticipating the chaos these two lightweight brawlers would bring. For now, Gaethje remains without an opponent, and the UFC has yet to make an official announcement.Hooker’s injury raises immediate questions. Will the UFC find a replacement for Gaethje? If so, who steps in on short notice?More to follow…The post Dan Hooker Injury: Why Was Justin Gaethje Fight Cancelled at UFC 313? appeared first on EssentiallySports.