Nov 12, 2022; New York, NY, USA; Dan Hooker (red gloves) and Claudio Puelles (blue gloves) during UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports

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Dan Hooker Left Hanging After UFC 317 Ticket Cancellation After Arriving In The US

Dan Hooker voices frustration with the UFC after flying in for the event, only to have his plans scrapped at the last minute!

Nov 12, 2022; New York, NY, USA; Dan Hooker (red gloves) and Claudio Puelles (blue gloves) during UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports

Fighter loyalty runs deep, especially when teammates support each other. New Zealand has produced some incredible UFC talent over the years, from former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya to rising stars like Kai Kara-France. These fighters often travel across the world to corner their teammates during big fights. The bond between training partners goes beyond just sharing gym time. They become family members who celebrate victories and share defeats together.

Dan Hooker has been a cornerstone of the New Zealand MMA scene for years. He has built a reputation as one of the most exciting fighters in his division. The lightweight is known for his willingness to take tough fights and put on shows for the fans. When his teammate Kai Kara-France got the opportunity to challenge flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 317 in June, Hooker naturally wanted to be there. After all, supporting your training partners during their biggest moments is what teammates do. Unfortunately, what should have been a celebration of friendship turned into a frustrating experience that left Hooker questioning his relationship with the UFC.

Dan Hooker Reveals Relation Souring Experience With UFC

The trouble started early in the morning on fight day. The UFC apparently scheduled some kind of promotional activity for Hooker at 7:30 AM ET, which translated to 3:00 AM New Zealand time. Hooker had been responsible the night before, staying in and getting to bed early. However, when the alarm went off at what felt like the middle of the night, he made the very human decision to hit the snooze button.

“They tried to get me out of bed at 7.30 [ET] in the morning. The UFC booked me for some s*** – which is three in the morning New Zealand time. I didn’t even go out, I had an early night, but I’m not getting out of bed at three in the morning to do just about anything. I slept in, and I didn’t go to the UFC thing.”

Dan Hooker rips the UFC after cancelling his tickets to attend UFC 317, and is now keeping his best interests in mind. 🔥 👀 pic.twitter.com/AJPuVeD7bV
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) July 28, 2025

This choice to sleep in had serious consequences. The UFC responded by cancelling his tickets to watch Kara-France’s title fight. Hooker had traveled all the way to Las Vegas to support his teammate,. But, he was locked out of the event.

“They cancelled my tickets to Kai’s fight, and then so it’s like… I’m going to rush back and fight injured for a company that’s going to cancel my tickets to the event, when I’ve travelled all the way to Las Vegas?

The irony wasn’t lost on him. He was being punished by the same company he had sacrificed his body for over the years. Hooker’s situation highlights a broader issue in the sport. There is a fine line between treating fighters as independent contractors while expecting complete loyalty and availability from them.

(Image Credit: Jessica Alcheh – Imagn Images)

Alexandre Pantoja

Dan Hooker

Kai Kara-France

UFC 317

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!