After this, I want to see Dan Hooker and Islam Makhachev fight.
UFC fighter Dan Hooker, the teammate of Alexander Volkanovski, hit reigning UFC lightweight champ Islam Makhachev with allegations of cheating after Makhachev allegedly took an intravenous injection of fluids to rehydrate ahead of his Feb. 11 victory over Volkanovski. Makhachev won the close fight by unanimous decision.
“Islam is a cheat. He doesn’t cheat, he doesn’t win. Prove me wrong. Bet cha can’t,” Hooker tweeted Feb. 13. “Dumb c*nt thinks he can fly to Australia, hire a nurse to give him an IV and we won’t find out. Cheating dog.”
Dumb cunt thinks he can fly to Australia hire a nurse to give him an I.V and we won’t find out. Cheating dog.
— Dan Hangman Hooker (@danthehangman) February 13, 2023
USADA doing fuck all. pic.twitter.com/ilJplHsh9h
— Dan Hangman Hooker (@danthehangman) February 13, 2023
Prove me wrong. Bet cha can’t.
— Dan Hangman Hooker (@danthehangman) February 13, 2023
He doesn’t cheat, he doesn’t win.
— Dan Hangman Hooker (@danthehangman) February 13, 2023
Islam is a cheat. https://t.co/bIdk13C26P
— Dan Hangman Hooker (@danthehangman) February 13, 2023
Shortly after Hooker blasted out the allegations, Makhachev’s co-manager Ali Abdelaziz fired back, claiming in a since-deleted tweet that “any fighter under the UFC banner can take 2-3 liters of IV as long as it’s done by a nurse or professional.”
so Islam cheated???? pic.twitter.com/1gfUwDWRA1
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) February 16, 2023
Fast forward to Feb. 16 and now Makhachev has gotten in the mix:
You must be held accountable for such accusations
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) February 16, 2023
And he has the evidence too, via UFC Senior VP of Athlete Health and Performance Jeff Novitzky:
UFC Anti-Doping Program’s (UFC ADP) IV rule was modified in 2019. Athletes, managers and support have rec’d multiple advisories on this rule change beginning in 2019. All UFC ADP rules have been publicly posted since 2015. The IV rule advisories included the following:
— Jeff Novitzky (@JeffNovitzkyUFC) February 16, 2023
The following IVs are now permitted without a TUE:
Those rec’d in the course of hospital treatments, surgical procedures, clinical diagnostic investigations;
Those rec’d from a licensed medical prof. after a licensed physician determines that they are medically justified;
— Jeff Novitzky (@JeffNovitzkyUFC) February 16, 2023
IVs of less than a total of 100 mL per 12-hour period;
Separate of the UFC ADP rules, athletic commissions require any athlete who receives an IV during fight week to (1) obtain permission from the commission before receiving an IV and;
— Jeff Novitzky (@JeffNovitzkyUFC) February 16, 2023
(2) disclose use of that IV to the commission after its use.
Despite the fact that IV use is now permitted under UFC ADP if administered by a “licensed medical professional after a licensed physician determines they are medically justified,”
— Jeff Novitzky (@JeffNovitzkyUFC) February 16, 2023
the required disclosure of such use to an athletic commission could possibly jeopardize the commission licensing the fight.
— Jeff Novitzky (@JeffNovitzkyUFC) February 16, 2023
It appears that Islam Makhachev is in the clear with UFC rules, but what I wanna know … what did he mean by Dan Hooker had to be held accountable for his accusations? Are we talking lawsuits here, or an ass-whooping?
I’m personally hoping for the latter … just start selling the Hooker vs. Makhachev pay-per-views now. (RELATED: David Haye Appears To Confirm Una Healy And Sian Osborne ‘Throuple’ With Valentine’s Day Post)
You have a sale over here, UFC.