When a big name from another promotion joins UFC, they get Dan Hooker.
“The Hangman” will face former KSW two-division champion Salahdine Parnasse atop the upcoming UFC Paris fight card
, locked and loaded for this Sat. night (Sept. 5, 2026) at Accor Arena in Paris, France. Both fighters came face-to-face earlier today in Gay Paree, skipping the tourist traps in favor of some shadowy tunnel near a busy city street.One day I hope to see a UFC staredown in the catacombs.
Hooker definitely has the height advantage.
“I never heard of him,” Hooker (24-14) told MMA Fighting. “But since then, you find out he’s quite a big name on the European circuit. I’m obviously aware of KSW, that’s a huge show out there in Europe. They’re selling out stadiums. I had no idea who he was. My manager told me how much money they were offering me to fight him, and they must think this kid’s pretty hot. When you’re offered double what you would have got for Justin Gaethje — let’s say I was going to fight Justin Gaethje for half this amount. You’ve got to pay to play. You want a superstar, I’m the only one dumb enough to fight the kid.”
“No one else plays the game like I play the game,” the 36 year-old Hooker continued. “I play on high volatility. I play it on high risk. At the end of the day, I’m a prizefighter. I’m here for the biggest prize and this is the biggest prize that is being offered in the world. I’ll be there with bells on. This kid’s out here to prove he belongs in the Top 10, prove he’s in title contention, and he’s going to make a run for the belt and this will be the last time you ever heard of the kid. At the end of the day, he doesn’t get past me. This is going to be the first and last time this kid headlines a UFC event.”
I swear I’ve heard that somewhere before…
