Dan Hooker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dan Hooker |
|
|---|---|
Hooker in 2020
|
|
| Born | Daniel Preston Hooker 13 February 1990 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Other names | The Hangman |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight | 156 lb (71 kg) |
| Division | Featherweight (2012, 2014–2016, 2022) Lightweight (2009–2013, 2017–present) |
| Reach | 75+1⁄2 in (192 cm) |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting out of | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Team | Tiger Muay Thai City Kickboxing Saigon Sports Club |
| Trainer | Eugene Bareman Doug Viney |
| Rank | Brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Karl Webber and Teariki Pina Simpson |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 13 |
| Wins | 9 |
| By knockout | 5 |
| Losses | 1 |
| Draws | 3 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 36 |
| Wins | 24 |
| By knockout | 11 |
| By submission | 7 |
| By decision | 6 |
| Losses | 12 |
| By knockout | 3 |
| By submission | 3 |
| By decision | 6 |
Daniel "Dan" Preston Hooker (born 13 February 1990) is a professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer from New Zealand. He is known for competing in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Before joining the UFC, Dan was a champion in kickboxing, winning titles like the King in the Ring Middleweight and WKBF X-Rules Welterweight championships. He is currently ranked #6 in the UFC lightweight division.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Dan Hooker was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He has some Māori heritage from the Ngāti Maniapoto tribe. Growing up, he played rugby. After school, a friend introduced him to mixed martial arts, which combines different fighting styles.
Dan started coaching MMA in 2008. He even worked as a head coach at the famous City Kickboxing gym in Auckland. In 2018, he opened his own gym, Combat Academy, in Ellerslie, Auckland. This gym had a full boxing ring and an octagon for training.
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Starting Out
Dan Hooker began his professional mixed martial arts career in March 2009. He mostly fought in New Zealand. Before joining the UFC, he had a record of 10 wins and 4 losses.
Besides MMA, Dan is also a professional kickboxer. He has a record of 9 wins, 1 loss, and 3 draws. He won two major kickboxing titles: the King In The Ring Middleweight Championship and the WKBF X-Rules Welterweight Championship.
He also has experience in submission grappling, which is a type of wrestling focused on holds and chokes.
Joining the UFC
2014: First Fights
Dan Hooker made his first appearance in the UFC on 28 June 2014. He won his debut fight against Ian Entwistle by TKO (Technical Knockout) in the first round. This means the referee stopped the fight because his opponent couldn't defend himself anymore.
Later that year, on 20 September 2014, he faced Maximo Blanco. Dan lost this fight by unanimous decision, meaning all the judges thought Maximo won.
2015: First Bonus
On 10 May 2015, Dan fought Hatsu Hioki. He won this fight with a knockout in the second round, using a head kick and punches. This was a big win because he was the first person to knock out Hioki in MMA! This win also earned Dan his first "Performance of the Night" bonus. This bonus is given to fighters who have an exciting or impressive performance.
His next fight was on 3 October 2015 against Yair Rodríguez. Dan lost this fight by unanimous decision.
2016: Training and Submissions
In April 2016, Dan went to the Tiger Muay Thai Tryouts in Phuket. He earned a spot on their professional fight team.
On 20 March 2016, he fought Mark Eddiva. Dan won this fight in the first round using a submission move called a guillotine choke. A submission means he made his opponent give up by putting them in a hold.
Later in the year, on 27 November 2016, Dan faced Jason Knight. He lost this fight by unanimous decision.
2017: Moving Up and More Bonuses
Dan decided to move up a weight class from featherweight to lightweight. On 11 June 2017, he fought Ross Pearson. He won this fight by knockout in the second round. This impressive win earned him his second "Performance of the Night" bonus.
His last fight of 2017 was on 30 December against Marc Diakiese. Dan won by guillotine choke submission in the third round.
2018: Knockout Power
Dan had a great year in 2018, winning two fights by knockout.
- On 21 April, he knocked out Jim Miller in the first round.
- On 7 July, he knocked out Gilbert Burns, also in the first round.
However, on 15 December, he faced Edson Barboza and lost by TKO.
2019: More Wins
On 20 July 2019, Dan fought James Vick. He won by knockout in the first round, earning another "Performance of the Night" bonus.
He then faced Al Iaquinta on 6 October 2019. Dan won this fight by unanimous decision.
2020: Tough Fights
Dan had two very exciting fights in 2020.
- On 23 February, he fought Paul Felder. Dan won by a split decision. This means the judges disagreed, with some scoring for Dan and others for Paul. This fight was so exciting that it earned both fighters a "Fight of the Night" award. This bonus is given to fights that are very entertaining for the fans.
- On 27 June, he faced Dustin Poirier. Dan lost this fight by unanimous decision. This fight was also awarded "Fight of the Night" and was considered one of the best fights of the year because of how back-and-forth and intense it was.
2021: Ups and Downs
On 24 January 2021, Dan fought Michael Chandler. He lost this fight by TKO in the first round. After the fight, it looked like Dan might retire, but he later said he would continue fighting.
He returned to the octagon on 25 September 2021 and won against Nasrat Haqparast by unanimous decision.
Later that year, on 30 October, he took a short-notice fight against Islam Makhachev. Dan lost this fight by submission in the first round.
2022: Changing Weight Classes
On 19 March 2022, Dan moved back down to the featherweight division to fight Arnold Allen. He lost this fight by TKO in the first round.
He then returned to lightweight and fought Claudio Puelles on 12 November 2022. Dan won this fight by TKO in the second round.
2023: Injuries and Close Wins
Dan was supposed to fight Jalin Turner on 4 March 2023 but had to pull out due to a hand injury.
They eventually fought on 8 July 2023. Jalin Turner missed the weight limit for the fight, so it became a "catchweight" bout. Dan won this close fight by split decision.
Dan was scheduled to fight Bobby Green on 2 December 2023 but withdrew due to another injury.
2024: Another Exciting Fight
On 18 August 2024, Dan fought Mateusz Gamrot. Dan won the fight by split decision. This fight was also very exciting and earned him another "Fight of the Night" award.
Upcoming Fight
Dan Hooker is scheduled to fight Justin Gaethje on March 8, 2025.
Personal Life
Dan Hooker used to run and teach at his own gym, The Combat Academy, in Auckland, New Zealand. He later closed the gym to focus more on his own fighting career. He continues to live and train in Auckland, New Zealand.
Championships and Accomplishments
Dan Hooker has achieved many things in his fighting career:
Mixed Martial Arts
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Performance of the Night (Three times): This award is for fighters who have an outstanding performance in their fight.
- Against Hatsu Hioki, Ross Pearson, and James Vick.
- Fight of the Night (Three times): This award is given to fights that are the most exciting and entertaining for the fans.
- Against Paul Felder, Dustin Poirier and Mateusz Gamrot.
- UFC Honors Awards
- 2020: Nominated for "President's Choice Fight of the Year" for his fight against Dustin Poirier.
- 2024: Nominated for "President's Choice Fight of the Year" for his fight against Mateusz Gamrot.
- UFC.com Awards
- 2015: Ranked #8 "Upset of the Year" for his win against Hatsu Hioki.
- 2020: Ranked #3 "Fight of the Year" for his fight against Dustin Poirier and #5 "Fight of the Year" for his fight against Paul Felder.
- 2023: Ranked #6 "Fight of the Year" for his fight against Jalin Turner.
- 2024: Ranked #8 "Fight of the Year" for his fight against Mateusz Gamrot.
- Performance of the Night (Three times): This award is for fighters who have an outstanding performance in their fight.
- Australian Fighting Championship
- AFC Lightweight Championship (One time)
- He successfully defended this title two times.
- AFC Lightweight Championship (One time)
- Supremacy Fighting Championships
- New Zealand Lightweight Championship
- MMAJunkie.com
- 2015 May Knockout of the Month for his knockout win against Hatsu Hioki.
- 2020 February Fight of the Month for his fight against Paul Felder.
- 2020 June Fight of the Month for his fight against Dustin Poirier.
Kickboxing
- World Kickboxing Federation
- WKBF X-Rules Welterweight Championship
- King in the Ring
- King in the Ring Middleweight Championship
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 36 matches | 24 wins | 12 losses |
| By knockout | 11 | 3 |
| By submission | 7 | 3 |
| By decision | 6 | 6 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 24–12 | Mateusz Gamrot | Decision (split) | UFC 305 | 18 August 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Perth, Australia | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 23–12 | Jalin Turner | Decision (split) | UFC 290 | 8 July 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Catchweight (158 lb) bout; Turner missed weight. |
| Win | 22–12 | Claudio Puelles | TKO (front kick to the body) | UFC 281 | 12 November 2022 | 2 | 4:06 | New York City, New York, United States | |
| Loss | 21–12 | Arnold Allen | TKO (punches and elbows) | UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall | 19 March 2022 | 1 | 2:33 | London, England | Featherweight bout. |
| Loss | 21–11 | Islam Makhachev | Submission (kimura) | UFC 267 | 30 October 2021 | 1 | 2:25 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Win | 21–10 | Nasrat Haqparast | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 266 | 25 September 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 20–10 | Michael Chandler | TKO (punches) | UFC 257 | 24 January 2021 | 1 | 2:30 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Loss | 20–9 | Dustin Poirier | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs. Hooker | 27 June 2020 | 5 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 20–8 | Paul Felder | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. Hooker | 23 February 2020 | 5 | 5:00 | Auckland, New Zealand | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 19–8 | Al Iaquinta | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 243 | 6 October 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Melbourne, Australia | |
| Win | 18–8 | James Vick | KO (punch) | UFC on ESPN: dos Anjos vs. Edwards | 20 July 2019 | 1 | 2:33 | San Antonio, Texas, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 17–8 | Edson Barboza | KO (punch to the body) | UFC on Fox: Lee vs. Iaquinta 2 | 15 December 2018 | 3 | 2:19 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States | |
| Win | 17–7 | Gilbert Burns | KO (punch) | UFC 226 | 7 July 2018 | 1 | 2:28 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 16–7 | Jim Miller | KO (knee) | UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Lee | 21 April 2018 | 1 | 3:00 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 15–7 | Marc Diakiese | Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC 219 | 30 December 2017 | 3 | 0:42 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 14–7 | Ross Pearson | KO (knee) | UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Hunt | 11 June 2017 | 2 | 3:02 | Auckland, New Zealand | Return to Lightweight. Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 13–7 | Jason Knight | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Brunson | 27 November 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Melbourne, Australia | |
| Win | 13–6 | Mark Eddiva | Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Mir | 20 March 2016 | 1 | 1:24 | Brisbane, Australia | |
| Loss | 12–6 | Yair Rodríguez | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 192 | 3 October 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 12–5 | Hatsu Hioki | KO (head kick and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Miocic vs. Hunt | 10 May 2015 | 2 | 4:13 | Adelaide, Australia | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 11–5 | Maximo Blanco | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Nelson | 20 September 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan | |
| Win | 11–4 | Ian Entwistle | TKO (elbows) | UFC Fight Night: Te Huna vs. Marquardt | 28 June 2014 | 1 | 3:34 | Auckland, New Zealand | Return to Featherweight. |
| Win | 10–4 | Nick Patterson | TKO (punches) | Australian FC 6 | 24 August 2013 | 3 | 0:34 | Melbourne, Australia | Defended the AFC Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 9–4 | Rusty McBride | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Australian FC 5 | 10 May 2013 | 1 | 1:31 | Melbourne, Australia | Defended the AFC Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 8–4 | Sihle Khuboni | Submission (triangle choke) | Shuriken MMA: Clash of the Continents | 13 October 2012 | 1 | 2:53 | Auckland, New Zealand | Return to Lightweight. |
| Win | 7–4 | Wu Chengjie | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Legend FC 9 | 16 June 2012 | 1 | 3:44 | Macau, SAR, China | Featherweight debut. |
| Win | 6–4 | Rusty McBride | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Australian FC 3 | 14 April 2012 | 2 | 3:57 | Melbourne, Australia | Won the AFC Lightweight Championship. |
| Loss | 5–4 | Wu Haotian | Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) | Legend FC 8 | 30 March 2012 | 2 | 4:52 | Hong Kong, SAR, China | |
| Win | 5–3 | Yuma Ishizuka | Decision (unanimous) | Australian FC 2 | 3 September 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Melbourne, Australia | |
| Win | 4–3 | Scott MacGregor | Submission (guillotine choke) | Supremacy Cage Fighting 8 | 30 July 2011 | 1 | 4:42 | Auckland, New Zealand | Won the Supremacy FC South Pacific Lightweight Championship. |
| Loss | 3–3 | Rob Lisita | Decision (split) | Supremacy Cage Fighting 6 | 3 July 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Dunedin, New Zealand | For the Supremacy FC South Pacific Lightweight Championship. |
| Loss | 3–2 | Sonny Brown | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Rize 4 | 27 March 2010 | 2 | 2:00 | Fortitude Valley, Australia | |
| Win | 3–1 | Ken Yasuda | TKO (eye injury) | Rize 3 | 5 December 2009 | 1 | 3:12 | Mansfield, Australia | |
| Win | 2–1 | Adam Calver | Submission (armbar) | Supremacy Cage Fighting 4 | 14 November 2009 | 1 | 2:52 | Auckland, New Zealand | |
| Loss | 1–1 | Adam Calver | Decision (split) | Supremacy Cage Fighting 3 | 25 July 2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Auckland, New Zealand | |
| Win | 1–0 | Mike Taylor | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Supremacy Cage Fighting 2 | 7 March 2009 | 1 | 0:48 | Auckland, New Zealand | Lightweight debut. |
Kickboxing record (incomplete)
| 9-1-3 | ||||||||
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-07-13 | Win |  Edwin Samy |
King in the Ring 72MAX, Final | Auckland, New Zealand | KO (left hook to the body) | 1 | 0:55 | |
| Wins King in the Ring 72MAX Tournament title. | ||||||||
| 2013-07-13 | Win | Victor Mechkov |
King in the Ring 72MAX, Semi Final | Auckland, New Zealand | KO (punches) | 3 | 2:16 | |
| 2013-07-13 | Win | Dawson Gray |
King in the Ring 72MAX, Quarter Final | Auckland, New Zealand | ||||
| Legend: Win Loss Draw/No contest Notes | ||||||||
See also
In Spanish: Dan Hooker para niños
- List of current UFC fighters
- List of male mixed martial artists
