Rafael Fiziev will replace Dan Hooker on short notice to face Justin Gaethje in the co-main event of UFC 313 on March 8. UFC CEO Dana White announced the fight Wednesday on Instagram Live. Hooker was originally set to face Gaethje (25-5) in a five-round co-main event at UFC 313 in Las Vegas but was forced to withdraw with a hand injury less than two weeks before the fight.

The likes of Rafael Fiziev, Renato Moicano and Mateusz Gamrot offered to step in and replace Hooker. If it were up to Cormier, he’d like to see Gaethje fight Moicano, who’s coming off a short-notice title loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 311. Cormier says history proves that Moicano (20-6-1 MMA, 12-6 UFC) is the right man for the job.

Justin Gaethje became the BMF when he knocked out Dustin Poirier back in the summer of 2023. Gaethje was next in line to face Islam Makhachev, but the UFC came calling and asked if he’d fight Max Holloway at UFC 300 for the BMF title.