The path to glory in the fight game is never smooth, but few fighters expect to take on their own government just to get into the Octagon. Dan Hooker, who managed to get out of New Zealand and on a plane to Vegas just in time to fight at UFC 266 this Saturday night, had to do exactly that, but he’s ready for a “perfect fight”.
Hooker told Just Scrap Radio that he is thrilled about the “perfect fight” against Nasrat Haqparast. “Stylistically, you can watch this kid fight and he’s not going anywhere. He’s going to stand in front of you and be there and fight. It’s the perfect fight.
Dan Hooker “Excited” for “Perfect Fight” After Visa Debacle
This is an exciting matchup, I’m excited to get out there. I think it’s going to be a crazy fight and fans aren’t going to want to miss this.”
Hooker also credits his mentality and work ethic with his ability to secure the bout and overcome New Zealand’s COVID-19 restrictions in time to fight this weekend.
“It’s not how I look at things, I have created a fight when there was absolutely no fight. I just knew I needed to fight on this date in September. The card was full, I didn’t have an opponent.
I pressed the UFC and Sean Shelby to get me a fight on a full card and pull an opponent out of nowhere. If I wasn’t Dan Hooker and I haven’t done the heavy lifting I have done, I wouldn’t be fighting on this date or be getting a paycheck. I’m looking at it from a very different scenario where I pulled a fight completely out of my ass.”
Hooker is uninterested in simply gatekeeping the top ten or resting on his laurels. “That is the completely wrong mentality, what do I achieve on sitting on number eight and defending number eight?
Do I want to be known as the eighth-best lightweight in the world for the rest of my career? I couldn’t care less about being known as the eighth-best fighter on the planet. I want to be the best fighter that is the only focus.
Then you say, oh what about this if you lose, well I’m not going to lose. That’s not where my mind drifts to.” Dan Hooker promised a return to winning ways and perhaps even a win streak on his way to fight for the title, starting with a victory this weekend.
“It’s back on a winning streak. You aren’t going to get anywhere in the division without a couple of wins. This is turning the ship in the right direction. It will be hard to deny me a top-10 fighter with a win over Nasrat.”
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