UFC lightweight contender Dan Hooker plans to move his whole team to the U.S. after VISA debacle.
Dan Hooker and his team over at City Kickboxing are planning on a big change after the various obstacles he went through ahead of UFC 266.
Hooker faces rising UFC lightweight contender Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 266, but there were serious questions about the fight happening in recent days. His native New Zealand, and the Oceania region in general, have undergone brutal lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even worse is the fact that New Zealand’s new restrictions have made it harder for out-of-country travelers to return from trips. Luckily, Hooker and his team were able to work with the government to return to the country following UFC 266 as they weigh their options going forward.
During his UFC 266 pre-fight interview, Hooker alluded to City Kickboxing moving stateside after the craziness of the recent days and weeks.
“We’ve discussed as a team now. I’ve been thinking about it myself. Now we’re just playing out the logistics of where we’re going and all that. It’s going to be ultimately up to our coaches. Moving our families and our coaches, it has to happen.
“The whole process has just been crazy. We’ve been locked down hard and something needs to change.”
Dan Hooker faces Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 266
Hooker’s opponent Haqparast has faced his issues getting to Las Vegas from outside of the U.S. There was some speculation that the fight might end up being a welterweight bout due to the extenuating circumstances, but remarkably both fighters weighed in at the 155-pound limit.
Hooker will look to get back on track in the UFC’s lightweight division after his devastating knockout loss to Michael Chandler earlier this year.