Latest news with #DanHooker
Otago Daily Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
'There's a few lefties having a sulk': Christchurch to host controversial backyard brawl
A screenshot from a previous event, held in May in Auckland. Image: Youtube UFC fighter Dan Hooker is taking his controversial backyard brawls to another level, this time inviting 32 convicted criminals to battle it out for a $50,000 prize. The UFC lightweight courted controversy in May when he hosted his inaugural 32-man, one-minute fist fight tournament in Auckland, dubbed "king of the streets". It saw a senior Mongrel Mob member referred to police, as he was wearing an ankle bracelet. The event prompted New Zealand's Boxing Coaches Association president Billy Meehan to call the event "straight-out thuggery". Following the backlash, Hooker went on the on-line combat sport programme the Ariel Helwani Show, and vowed to host more events. "There's a few lefties having a sulk, but once everyone watches the full 45 minutes and sees the respect for the fighters, since when did putting gloves on in the backyard and having a punch up become illegal?" he said. "Since when is that a crime?" Hooker claims the events, where fighters take part in a boxing-style fight, and wear MMA gloves, are run by some of the most experienced combat sports people in the country. Dan Hooker Photo: Facebook A month ago the 35-year-old held an event for women to fight it out for $50,000. In a social media post, Hooker said his next event would take place in seven weeks in Christchurch and would be livestreamed. Hooker said the event was for "convicts only" and will be capped with a 100kg weight limit. The caption reads: "This one's for the lads the system failed." The video on Instagram has received more than 24,000 likes. People are encouraged to contact Hooker with their details if they are interested. A dedicated Instagram page showing clips of past backyard scraps was created a week ago and has more than 54,000 followers, leaving Hooker feeling "pumped" and "excited for the future." The prize money is funded by a social media influencer, known as 'The Doctor', who shares streaming and gambling videos.
Otago Daily Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
'Convicts only': Chch to host controversial backyard brawl
A screenshot from a previous event, held in May in Auckland. Image: Youtube UFC fighter Dan Hooker is taking his controversial backyard brawls to another level, this time inviting 32 convicted criminals to battle it out for a $50,000 prize. The UFC lightweight courted controversy in May when he hosted his inaugural 32-man, one-minute fist fight tournament in Auckland, dubbed "king of the streets". It saw a senior Mongrel Mob member referred to police, as he was wearing an ankle bracelet. The event prompted New Zealand's Boxing Coaches Association president Billy Meehan to call the event "straight-out thuggery". Following the backlash, Hooker went on the on-line combat sport programme the Ariel Helwani Show, and vowed to host more events. "There's a few lefties having a sulk, but once everyone watches the full 45 minutes and sees the respect for the fighters, since when did putting gloves on in the backyard and having a punch up become illegal?" he said. "Since when is that a crime?" Hooker claims the events, where fighters take part in a boxing-style fight, and wear MMA gloves, are run by some of the most experienced combat sports people in the country. Dan Hooker Photo: Facebook A month ago the 35-year-old held an event for women to fight it out for $50,000. In a social media post, Hooker said his next event would take place in seven weeks in Christchurch and would be livestreamed. Hooker said the event was for "convicts only" and will be capped with a 100kg weight limit. The caption reads: "This one's for the lads the system failed." The video on Instagram has received more than 24,000 likes. People are encouraged to contact Hooker with their details if they are interested. A dedicated Instagram page showing clips of past backyard scraps was created a week ago and has more than 54,000 followers, leaving Hooker feeling "pumped" and "excited for the future." The prize money is funded by a social media influencer, known as 'The Doctor', who shares streaming and gambling videos.
RNZ News
7 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Wanted: 'Convicted criminals' for Hooker's next backyard brawl
Dan Hooker Photo: facebook UFC fighter Dan Hooker is taking his controversial backyard brawls to another level, this time inviting 32 convicted criminals to battle it out for a $50,000 prize. The UFC lightweight courted controversy in May when he hosted his inaugural 32-man, one-minute fist fight tournament in Auckland, dubbed "king of the streets". It saw a senior Mongrel Mob member referred to police, as he was wearing an ankle bracelet. The event prompted New Zealand's Boxing Coaches Association president Billy Meehan to call the event "straight-out thuggery". Following the backlash, Hooker went on the on-line combat sport programme the Ariel Helwani Show , and vowed to host more events. "There's a few lefties having a sulk, but once everyone watches the full 45 minutes and sees the respect for the fighters, since when did putting gloves on in the backyard and having a punch up become illegal?" he said. "Since when is that a crime?" Hooker claims the events, where fighters take part in a boxing-style fight, and wear MMA gloves, are run by some of the most experienced combat sports people in the country. A month ago the 35-year-old held an event for women to fight it out for $50,000. Dan Hooker hosted 32 men in a 'one minute scrap' tournament for a $50,000 cash prize in May. Photo: youtube In a social media post, Hooker said his next event would take place in seven weeks in Christchurch and would be livestreamed. Hooker said the event was for "convicts only" and will be capped with a 100kg weight limit. The caption reads: "This one's for the lads the system failed." The video on Instagram has received more than 24,000 likes. People are encouraged to contact Hooker with their details if they are interested. A dedicated Instagram page showing clips of past backyard scraps was created a week ago and has more than 54,000 followers, leaving Hooker feeling "pumped" and "excited for the future." The prize money is funded by a social media influencer, known as 'The Doctor', who shares streaming and gambling videos.
The Independent
29-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Dan Hooker claims ‘UFC doesn't respect me' after ticket controversy
Dan Hooker has claimed he won't 'break his back' for a 'company that doesn't respect him', accusing the UFC of cancelling his tickets to watch a teammate challenge for a world title. Hooker's fellow New Zealander Kai Kara-France challenged flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja in June, coming up short with a submission loss, and Hooker was unable to lend his support in Las Vegas. The lightweight fan favourite, 35, discussed the matter on Submission Radio on Monday (28 July), saying: 'They tried to get me out of bed at 7.30 [ET] in the morning – the UFC booked me for some s*** – which is three in the morning New Zealand time. I didn't even go out, I had an early night, but I'm not getting out of bed at three in the morning to do just about anything. I slept in, and I didn't go to the UFC thing. 'They cancelled my tickets to Kai's fight, and then so it's like... I'm going to rush back and fight injured for a company that's going to cancel my tickets to the event, when I've travelled all the way to Las Vegas? 'I would have fought injured, but then someone at a desk has crossed my name off a list. You work in the office, brother, I work in the... You think there would be a bit more respect there for guys who literally give their life. The amount of blood, sweat, and tears I've poured into putting shows on for that company... 'I thought there would have been a bit more respect there, but there's not, which is cool – business is business. We can fight on my terms then [...] I'm not going to break my back for a company that doesn't respect me.' Hooker was due to face Justin Gaethje in March, in a long-awaited clash, but the Kiwi sustained a hand fracture, leading the bout to be cancelled. That fight was initially scheduled for five rounds, before Hooker claimed – prior to his injury – that it had been shortened to three rounds. 'They're trying to give me every disadvantage they can possibly give me, bro, but that's fine,' he said at the time. On the topic of fight lengths, Hooker added on Monday: 'Twenty grand for an extra 10 minutes is the going rate. I'm a logical thinker; in what world do I get half a million dollars for 15 minutes, and then I get half a million dollars and 20 grand for half an hour [25 minutes]? 'When I used to work at the bloody kitchen factory, do you think I did an eight-hour day and got paid a couple of hundred bucks, and then I'm going to do twice as much work and get a fraction more money? It just doesn't make sense to me. 'Oh, but, you know, for the experience.' Shove it up your f*****g ass, bro, I'm not going to work. I'm not going to work for twice as long. If you want me to go to work for twice as long, pay me twice as much; that's how that works.' Hooker also weighed in on the lightweight title picture, where Ilia Topuria is awaiting his first challenger since winning the belt in June. It seems that any one of Gaethje, Arman Tsarukyan or Paddy Pimblett could be next for the new champion. 'The UFC is smart as f***,' Hooker said. 'They never paint themselves into a situation where there's a clear No 1 contender that has to fight for the belt next, because if they're ever in that situation, then negotiations obviously become very difficult for them. 'If the fans are 100 per cent locked and expecting there's only one guy that makes sense for the title, you think when they sit down and negotiate, the UFC's in a strong position? 'Now they've got Gaethje that they can have, they've got Arman that still... they've said doesn't [make sense], but he does still make sense for the title. Paddy Pimblett could step up because he's got f*****g beef coming out of his ears. So, they always have – in a title-fight situation – three guys that could justify title shots. 'Because then if they have one guy, they go to the first guy. He starts playing hardball, then they can go to the second guy. They can go to the third guy, then they can go back to the first guy. At the end of the day, it's business, and the fight that makes the most dollars makes the most sense for the UFC.'
USA Today
27-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Dan Hooker declares 'daddy's home,' calls out Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan
Dan Hooker wants to return to UFC competition before the end of the year and has publicly called for two highly ranked names. Hooker (24-12 MMA, 14-8 UFC) hasn't seen action since an August 2024 victory over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305. He's been dealing with arm and hand injuries, the latter of which forced him to withdraw from a March matchup against Justin Gaethje. Now on the cusp of his comeback, Hooker took to social media over the weekend and directly called for fights against former champion Charles Oliveira or top-ranked contender Arman Tsarukyan, declaring that "daddy's home" (via X): Hooker, 35, is riding a three-fight winning streak against Gamrot, Jalin Turner and Claudio Puelles dating back to November 2022. Oliveira (35-11 MMA, 23-11 UFC) is coming off a first-round knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 317 in June for the vacant 155-pound title. Tsarukyan, meanwhile, hasn't fought since he withdrew on weigh-in day from a title fight against then-champ Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 in January.
