Dan Hooker turns 36 next month and by his own admission, is probably never going to make a serious run at the lightweight title. That’s okay, at least from a fan’s perspective, because “Hangman” continues to turn in exciting performances and does a great job of hyping up his fights. The kiwi has racked up five post-fight performance bonuses with three “Fight of the Night” honors and is making a fairly quick turnaround following his submission loss to Arman Tsarukyan at UFC Qatar. He probably took more damage during the weigh ins headbutt than he did the actual fight so I don’t think the short time between appearances will prove to be a detriment. As far as his skill set, Hooker is one of those capable fighters who is good at everything and great at nothing. That said, I like that you know what you’re getting with every “Hangman” fight and he’s given us some real bangers over the last couple of years.

“After you lose, you get a bad taste in your mouth, so to get an opportunity — we’re in this sport where you’re a loser ‘til you win again, so the longer you leave it, you’re just a loser for longer, so it’s good to get the opportunity to get a win and turn it around,“You beat [Saint Denis] and you fight up. You beat him and they can’t justify you fighting outside the Top 5 again, so your mindset shifts. I feel like I’ve found my timing and my range again, and I definitely didn’t find it in that [Tsarukyan] fight, didn’t utilize it the way I usually do in that last training camp just because of the amount of time off. To get in there and knock that ring rust off has given me a lot of confidence. It’s just chasing down things that excite me. If I physically can fight, I will fight.”

Brazilian wunderkind Tallison Teixeira seemed like the next big thing in the heavyweight division, thanks to his 6’7” frame and 83” reach. Oh yeah, he also annihilated eight straight opponents to kick off his pro MMA career. Despite just one fight under the UFC banner, which followed a knockout win on Dana White’s “Contender Series,” matchmakers thought he would be a good match for heavyweight hurter Derrick Lewis. For once, Teixeira’s size betrayed him, giving the “Black Beast” a nearly unmissable target. Less than a minute into their UFC Nashville main event, “Xicao” was toast. Teixeira won his first fight by way of inverted triangle armbar so there’s no question he’s capable on the ground. Getting Tuivasa there would be a great way to tip the scale in his favor; however, I think Teixeira fell in love with the knockout and wants to keep that party going. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Tuivasa follow the blueprint laid by Lewis — assuming he doesn’t get caught in a Thai plum and kneed into oblivion.