Dan Hooker undergoes surgery, withdraws from UFC 313 fight

Dan Hooker has undergone surgery on his left hand following an injury that forced him to withdraw from his co-main event fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 313. The injury, described by Hooker as a fracture sustained during training, has sidelined him as he recovers. Despite the setback, Hooker expressed optimism about returning to the octagon by International Fight Week in June. In his absence, Gaethje will face Rafael Fiziev, who steps in on short notice after previously losing to Gaethje in a majority decision at UFC 286. Hooker, currently on a three-fight winning streak, was aiming for a victory that could propel him into title contention. The UFC 313 event is set to be headlined by a light heavyweight championship bout between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev.