Dan Hooker is never short on surprises, inside the cage or out. But this time, the shocker didn’t come from a cheeky jab on social media or a callout. Instead, it was his absence at UFC 317 that got people talking. Why wasn’t ‘The Hangman’ in the building to support his CKB (City Kickboxing) teammate Kai Kara-France, who was fighting for the flyweight title on the main card?

Turns out, Hooker had plans. Not Octagon-side ones, but at a concert. And not just any concert, he chose a night out with Moneybagg Yo over UFC 317!  In a candid chat with Submission Radio, the lightweight star was asked if he attended the blockbuster pay-per-view. His answer? ”Well, look, I was going to go, but then there was a Moneybag Yo concert and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s my favorite rapper. ’”

The host was clearly caught off-guard as he asked, “Who? Moneybag Yo? Who the hell is that?” Let’s pause here for a second. After all, Moneybagg Yo might not be a household name for everyone. Born DeMario DeWayne White Jr., the Memphis rapper made waves in the Southern hip-hop and trap scene and is known for his gritty storytelling and melodic style.

He has earned multiple award nominations, including a Grammy, and even claimed the 2021 “Trapper of the Year” award. But getting back to Hooker’s story, it wasn’t the concert that kept him away as he revealed there was more going on behind the scenes.

‘The Hangman’ confessed, “No, I went to Moneybag Yo after… No, actually um, I like missed a bunch of sh—I was supposed to do for the UFC like during the week, so they ended up cancelling my tickets.”

The host was taken aback once more as he asked Hooker to clarify, “What do you mean? They took your tickets away from you?” That’s when Hooker pulled back the curtain as he stated, “I was supposed to do something, like probably they had me scheduled to like a Q&A with a YouTuber and show him some MMA moves. And they scheduled it for like 7:30 in the morning, which is like 3:30 in the morning New Zealand time. And I was just like, I didn’t even go out. But I was just like, I’m not getting up…”

That decision cost him his seat at the event. But Hooker made one thing clear: he’s not scrambling for UFC opportunities anymore. Whether it’s Moneybagg Yo or sleep over early-morning obligations, he’s choosing his own schedule these days. And while he may not have been present at UFC 317, that didn’t stop the lightweight star from getting into a social media feud with the fighter who served as backup for the main event!

Arman Tsarukyan ignites feud with Dan Hooker as UFC 317 shakes up the lightweight landscape

Dan Hooker may not have been present at UFC 317, but he didn’t miss the headlines and cert certainly not the jab thrown his way by Arman Tsarukyan. After Ilia Topuria claimed the vacant lightweight title with a stunning knockout of Charles Oliveira, Tsarukyan decided to stir the pot.

In a surprising online post, the Armenian fighter wrote on X, “On a side note, Dan Hooker is still a b— . Just thought that needed to be said.” But if Tsarukyan expected silence in return, he picked the wrong guy.

‘The Hangman’ fired back with a sharp counter, “You’re a human side note. Number 1 contender no one gives a f—- about.” Tsarukyan, currently sitting at no. 2 in the 155 lbs. division, was seen as a clear-cut next challenger for the title.

That was until Joe Rogan decided to invite Paddy Pimblett into the cage to face-off with the newly crowned champion, Ilia Topuria. Meanwhile, Hooker, who’s riding a three-fight win streak and recovering from a hand injury, could be just one more big win away from title talks himself.

To wrap things up, from skipping fight week obligations to catching a Moneybagg Yo concert and clapping back at Arman Tsarukyan’s online jab, ‘The Hangman’ proved he’s still very much in the mix, even from a distance!