Dan Hooker

Dan Hooker Bio

Daniel Preston Hooker, widely known by his ring name “The Hangman,” is a New Zealand professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer. Born on 13 February 1990 in Auckland, New Zealand, Hooker currently competes in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he has built a reputation as one of the most exciting and durable fighters in the promotion. As of June 2026, he holds a place inside the UFC’s official lightweight rankings, extending a career that has spanned more than fifteen years across multiple combat sports disciplines.

Early Life and Background

Daniel Preston Hooker was born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, into a family of partial Māori descent, with ties to the Ngāti Maniapoto iwi. Growing up in Auckland, Hooker attended local schools and played both codes of rugby throughout his youth, following a path common to many New Zealand sportsmen. It was only after finishing his schooling years that he was introduced to mixed martial arts by a friend, an introduction that would redirect his athletic ambitions from the rugby field to the cage.

His early interest quickly deepened into a serious pursuit. Hooker began training in kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, building the foundational skills that would later define his fighting style. Standing 6 feet tall with a 75.5-inch reach and an orthodox stance, he developed the physical attributes and technical base that allowed him to transition from a casual student of martial arts into a dedicated professional competitor by the end of his teenage years.

Path to MMA

Hooker made his professional mixed martial arts debut in March 2009 at the age of nineteen, choosing the Lightweight division as his primary weight class. He fought primarily in his native New Zealand during the early portion of his career, compiling a record of 10-4 while competing against regional opposition. In addition to his MMA work, he built a professional kickboxing record of 9-1-3, capturing the King in the Ring Middleweight Kickboxing Championship and the WKBF X-Rules Welterweight Championship along the way.

He also tested himself in submission grappling, posting a 3-2 record that included appearances in events such as the ICNZ Contender Series 1 No-Gi Submission Wrestling Tournament in October 2009 and the New Zealand 2011 No-Gi Nationals. Even during these developmental years, Hooker showed a willingness to face unusual challenges, stepping in for a heavyweight fight and even a heavyweight tag team kickboxing match, wins that reflected the versatility he was quietly forging.

Dan Hooker Career

Early Career (2009–2014)

Between 2009 and 2014, Hooker established himself as one of New Zealand’s most promising mixed martial artists, amassing an unbeaten run at the regional level before eventually catching the eye of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He balanced his MMA bouts with continued kickboxing competitions and opened his own gym, the Combat Academy in Ellerslie, Auckland, in mid-2018, reflecting his growing investment in the sport beyond just competing.

By the time he received the call to join the UFC roster, Hooker had already developed a reputation as a tough, well-rounded fighter with a particular flair for finishes. His regional accomplishments and his reputation as a coach and gym owner helped solidify his standing in the New Zealand fight scene and gave him a stable foundation from which to launch his international career.

UFC Breakthrough (2014–2018)

Hooker made his promotional debut against fellow newcomer Ian Entwistle on 28 June 2014 at UFC Fight Night 43, winning the back-and-forth bout via TKO in the first round. His early UFC tenure included losses to seasoned veterans such as Maximo Blanco, Yair Rodríguez, and Jason Knight, fights that exposed him to higher-level competition and helped him refine his game. A breakthrough moment came on 10 May 2015 at UFC Fight Night 65, when he became the first fighter ever to knock out Hatsu Hioki, earning his first Performance of the Night bonus in the process.

After a stint at Featherweight, Hooker moved up to Lightweight on a more permanent basis in 2017, where his frame and striking power proved better suited. Knockout wins over Ross Pearson, Jim Miller, and Gilbert Burns announced him as a serious contender, while a submission victory over Marc Diakiese at UFC 219 rounded out a strong late-2017 run. These performances placed him squarely on the radar of the UFC’s top Lightweight contenders.

City Kickboxing and Tiger Muay Thai Era (2018–Present)

Now established in the UFC’s Lightweight division, Hooker linked up with the renowned City Kickboxing team in Auckland, as well as Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, where he won a place on the professional fight team in April 2016. The partnership with head coach Eugene Bareman, who also trains several other elite New Zealand fighters, helped polish his already-dangerous striking arsenal and elevate his tactical awareness.

His recent years have included signature wins over the likes of Paul Felder, Nasrat Haqparast, Claudio Puelles, Jalin Turner, and former KSW champion Mateusz Gamrot, with several of these performances earning him additional Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses. A widely celebrated bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC on ESPN in June 2020 was named by many media outlets as one of the fights of the year. Most recently, Hooker faced Arman Tsarukyan in the main event of UFC Fight Night 265 on 22 November 2025, losing via arm-triangle choke submission in the second round, and then met Benoît Saint Denis in the co-main event of UFC 325 on 1 February 2026, falling by technical knockout in the second round.

Style and Strengths

Hooker is widely regarded as a pressure-oriented striker with a dangerous kicking game, sharp combinations, and a willingness to walk through fire in pursuit of a finish. Training out of City Kickboxing under Eugene Bareman, alongside stints at Tiger Muay Thai and Saigon Sports Club, he has developed a well-rounded arsenal that blends kickboxing precision with a steadily improving ground game, the latter reinforced by his recent promotion to black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Notable Events and Milestones

Among his most celebrated moments are his first-round knockout of Hatsu Hioki, his bloody five-round war with Dustin Poirier, and his split-decision win over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305, all of which earned him post-fight bonuses and the respect of peers and fans. His 2023 catchweight victory over Jalin Turner at UFC 290, in which he pocketed a portion of his opponent’s purse after a missed weight, and his multiple Fight of the Night awards further underline his status as a perennial show-stealer in the Lightweight division.

Dan Hooker Career Wins

Across his professional mixed martial arts career, Dan Hooker has compiled twenty-four wins against thirteen losses, with his victories spread across knockouts, submissions, and decisions, a balance that reflects his evolution from a pure striker into a more complete mixed martial artist. Several of his wins have come in the UFC’s signature event formats, and his bonus-rich résumé places him among the most recognized action fighters in the Lightweight division.

UFC Highlights

Inside the UFC, Hooker has earned several Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night awards, with standout finishes against Ian Entwistle, Hatsu Hioki, Ross Pearson, Jim Miller, Gilbert Burns, James Vick, and Marc Diakiese, among others. His most recent UFC win came against Mateusz Gamrot by split decision at UFC 305 on 18 August 2024, adding to a tally of high-profile victories that have repeatedly pushed him toward the top of the Lightweight rankings.

Other Wins and Performances

Outside the UFC, Hooker captured the King in the Ring Middleweight Kickboxing Championship and the WKBF X-Rules Welterweight Championship, complementing his nine professional kickboxing wins. He has also competed in submission grappling tournaments in New Zealand and taken on oversized opponents in one-off kickboxing bouts, demonstrating a versatility that has long marked his approach to combat sports.

Dan Hooker Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Hooker was raised in Auckland within a family of partial Māori (Ngāti Maniapoto) heritage, a cultural background that has remained a quiet but meaningful part of his identity. He grew up alongside family members in New Zealand, with his parents having supported his transition from rugby to martial arts in his late teens.

Personal Life

Hooker has one daughter, Zoe, who has appeared alongside him in UFC Embedded vlogs and across his social media channels, giving fans occasional glimpses of his life outside the cage. After relocating briefly to the United States in 2021, he has continued to base himself in Auckland, training out of City Kickboxing, while occasionally preparing at Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket and Saigon Sports Club.

2025 Season Performance

Dan Hooker’s 2025 campaign was disrupted before it could fully take shape, as a hand injury forced him to withdraw from a scheduled bout with former UFC Interim Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje at UFC 313 in March. The withdrawal was a setback, but Hooker remained active in the rankings and continued to train with his City Kickboxing team in Auckland under Eugene Bareman.

He returned to action in the main event of UFC Fight Night 265 on 22 November 2025, where he faced ranked contender Arman Tsarukyan and lost via arm-triangle choke submission in the second round. The result moved him out of immediate title contention, but it also kept him in high-profile matchups, as evidenced by his co-main event booking against Benoît Saint Denis at UFC 325 in February 2026.

Looking ahead, Hooker continues to hold a spot inside the UFC’s official Lightweight rankings and remains a fan favorite for his aggressive style and willingness to accept short-notice fights. With his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt promotion in October 2025 adding another layer to his game, and a packed stable of elite training partners at City Kickboxing, he is well positioned to chase another late-career surge toward the top of the division.