Dan Hooker

Daniel Preston Hooker (born 13 February 1990) is a New Zealand mixed martial artist.

He currently competes in the Lightweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Hooker was the King in the Ring Middleweight Kickboxing Champion and WKBF X-Rules Welterweight Champion.

As of 12 March 2024, he is #9 in the UFC lightweight rankings.

Hooker was born in Auckland, New Zealand into a family of Māori (Ngāti Maniapoto) descent.

He grew up playing both codes of rugby throughout his schooling and was introduced to mixed martial arts by a friend after graduation.

Hooker has been coaching MMA since 2008, spending time as head coach at City Kickboxing gym in Auckland.

Hooker made his professional mixed martial arts debut in March 2009.

He fought primarily in his native New Zealand and amassed a record of 10–4 before joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Dan is also a professional kickboxer with a 9–1–3 record, winning the King In The Ring Middleweight Kickboxing Championship and WKBF X-Rules Welterweight Championship.

Hooker also has a 3–2 submission grappling record.

On 18 October 2009 he took part in the ICNZ Contender Series 1 No-Gi Submission Wrestling Tournament.

He beat Thomas Kwok and Bass Khou by guillotine choke and lost to Pumau Campbell on points.

He also competed in the New Zealand 2011 No-Gi Nationals, in the Advanced under 77 kg / 170 lbs division, he beat Paul Faavaoga in the first round and lost to LJ Stevenson in the second round.

He has also competed in a heavyweight fight, for which he weighed in at 86 kg / 189 lbs, against Mark Creedy, winning by knockout in the second round.

He also competed in a heavyweight tag team kickboxing match against Antz Nansen.

Hooker made his promotional debut against fellow newcomer Ian Entwistle on 28 June 2014 at UFC Fight Night 43.

Hooker won the back-and-forth fight via TKO in the first round.

Hooker faced Maximo Blanco on 20 September 2014 at UFC Fight Night 52.

Hooker lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Hooker faced Hatsu Hioki on 10 May 2015 at UFC Fight Night 65.

He won the fight via knockout due to a combination of head kick and punches in the second round.

With this win, he became the first man to knock out Hioki in a MMA fight.

The win also earned Hooker his first Performance of the Night bonus award.

Hooker next faced Yair Rodríguez on 3 October 2015 at UFC 192.

He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Hooker next faced Mark Eddiva on 20 March 2016 at UFC Fight Night 85.

He won the fighting from a high-elbow mounted guillotine choke in the first round.

Hooker faced Jason Knight on 27 November 2016 at UFC Fight Night 101.

He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Moving up from featherweight to lightweight, Hooker fought Ross Pearson on 11 June 2017 at UFC Fight Night 110.

He trained locally in City Kickboxing in Newton, Auckland.

He won the fight via knockout in the second round.

The win also earned Hooker his second Performance of the Night bonus award.

Hooker faced Marc Diakiese on 30 December 2017 at UFC 219 He won the fight via guillotine choke submission in the third round.

In mid 2018 Hooker opened his own gym Combat Academy in Ellerslie, Auckland, a state-of-the-art gym that included a full-sized boxing ring and an octagon.

Hooker faced Jim Miller on 21 April 2018 at UFC Fight Night 128.

He won the fight via knockout in round one.

Hooker faced Gilbert Burns on 7 July 2018 at UFC 226.

He won the fight via knockout in round one.