“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,” Dan Hooker boldly declared to ESPN Australia. “Straight into the back of an ambulance, and I’m going to the hospital.” Well, mission accomplished. Turns out he wasn’t wrong, he just skipped the whole ‘actually fighting’ part and went straight to the injury list. The fight gods really do have a twisted sense of humor, don’t they? Fans were all set for a bloodbath between Hooker and Justin Gaethje, but instead, Hooker pulled off the ultimate pre-fight plot twist, bowing out with a hand injury before Gaethje even had a chance to put him on a stretcher himself.Now, Dana White, forever the UFC’s overworked dad, constantly picking up the pieces when things go sideways, has to get the house back in order. Gaethje, the human sledgehammer that he is, still wants to throw down on March 8. The only question left is: who’s reckless enough to step in and face him on short notice? Here are three spicy (or just plain crazy) options.1. Ilia TopuriaIlia Topuria isn’t just looking for a fight, he wants to prove he’s the best fighter on the planet. Never mind that he just left featherweight behind, in his mind, he’s already the pound-for-pound king, and Islam Makhachev is just another guy holding a belt he plans to take. “Islam, he’s a great fighter, he’s the No. 1 pound-for-pound for the people,” ‘El Matador’ recently told Fox Sports Australia, before casually adding, “For me, it’s me, myself. I’m the best fighter in the world.” Humble, right?So, if he’s already calling himself the best, what better way to prove it than by stepping up against Gaethje on short notice? After all, if he truly believes he can ‘do whatever he wants’ with Makhachev, then surely ‘The Highlight’ who specializes in making people regret their life choices, should be no problem. But wanting a title shot and actually fighting your way to one are two very different things. His camp insists, “Ilia wants a championship fight. He will not fight for the status of a contender.” Fair enough. But maybe, just maybe, proving you belong in a division before demanding a title shot is a good idea? Or does Topuria expect Dana White to just roll out the red carpet and hand him the golden ticket?So, if Topuria takes this fight and wins, his case for a title shot skyrockets. If he doesn’t? Well, he can keep waiting for that special VIP treatment. As the UFC boss himself put it, “There’s still other possibilities… A lot of s*** going on right now.” In other words, when the call comes, the former featherweight kingpin either jump on board or gets left behind, because the UFC train isn’t waiting for anyone.2. Max Holloway If aliens ever asked what the BMF belt is, you wouldn’t need words, you’d just show them Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway from UFC 300. A masterpiece of violence, equal parts chaos and beauty, capped off with Gaethje’s face meeting the canvas in spectacular fashion. And Holloway? He didn’t just win, he pointed to the center of the Octagon like an anime protagonist demanding a final battle and then turned ‘The Highlight’ into his own personal highlight reel.Now, wouldn’t it be fun to see if Gaethje can even the score? Holloway took some damage in their first fight, but he’s the kind of gladiator who might actually think a rematch sounds fun. If UFC 313 needs a blockbuster replacement, this would do the trick. The only real question is does Gaethje want to risk getting turned into another viral clip? Care for another “Blessed Highlight”? Sure, why not?3. Dustin Poirier Justin Gaethje vs. Dustin Poirier 3 isn’t just a good idea, it’s borderline criminal not to make it happen. These two have danced before, and every time, it’s been pure, unfiltered violence. Magical for fans, catastrophic for their brain cells. Flashback to 2018. Poirier stopped Gaethje in the fourth round, handing ‘The Highlight’ a brutal KO loss in what was easily one of the year’s best fights. Fast forward to UFC 291, and Gaethje returned the favor in spectacular fashion, detonating a head kick on Poirier’s skull to reclaim the BMF title. One apiece. The score is tied. You know what that means.With Hooker out, Dana White needs to work some matchmaking magic, and Gaethje isn’t exactly the ‘sit around and wait’ type. He wants violence, and he wants it now. So does Poirier step up for one last war, or does someone else get the call? And let’s be honest, who’s actually crazy enough to take this fight on short notice? What do you think? Has Gaethje finally hit the point where he’s scaring off every potential opponent before Fight Night even arrives? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!The post 3 Fights for Justin Gaethje as Dana White Needs to Replace Dan Hooker at UFC 313 appeared first on EssentiallySports.