New Zealand MMA fighter Dan Hooker is set for his biggest-ever payday in his upcoming lightweight fight with Salahdine Parnasse on Sep. 5 at UFC Paris.
In a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Hooker revealed that the bout, which marks his first-ever fight in France, is one of the most lucrative bouts of his career, despite Parnasse being a UFC debutant.
"By a country mile, baby. By a country mile," Hooker said when asked if the purse will be the biggest of his career. "He said, 'Kid's on debut,' and then my manager, Ash, told me how much money it was, and I said, 'Viva la Paris. Viva la France.' Bro, I love it."
Surprising Revelation
It is a surprising revelation, given that Parnasse is not a household name and will be making his UFC debut. Hooker has faced more high-profile fighters like Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler, Islam Makhachev, and Arman Tsarukyan, all while earning less.
Hooker is currently on a two-fight losing streak, having lost to Tsarukyan via submission and Benoรฎt Saint Denis via TKO.
High Stakes
A loss to Parnasse, a UFC debutant, would be disastrous, though it would not be his first time losing to a fighter making their first-ever octagon walk. At UFC 257, Hooker took on Chandler, who was making his promotional debut at the time. The bout was a one-sided annihilation, as Chandler needed less than three minutes to TKO him in round one.
At 36 years old with a 24-14 record, Hooker is entering the twilight years of his career. Parnasse, by contrast, is nearly 10 years younger at 28, holds a 23-2 record, and is on a five-fight win streak.
