Hooker Details Death Threats From Parnasse Fans
Dan Hooker says he received death threats from Salahdine Parnasse's fans within hours of the UFC Paris main event announcement.
The lightweight contender told Submission Radio that the hostile messages started immediately after the promotion confirmed he would face the former two-division KSW champion on September 5th. Parnasse, one of the UFC's biggest signees this year, earned a viral knockout at the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano event in May and brings significant hype into his promotional debut.
Hooker Vows To Derail Parnasse's UFC Debut
Hooker, who is looking to snap a two-fight skid after losses to Benoit Saint-Denis and Arman Tsarukyan, told the outlet the vitriol has been unprecedented. "The death threats have been outrageous," he said, per MMA Junkie. "French people have been speaking French and telling me I'm going to die and telling me they're going to kill me." He added that he didn't experience similar hostility when he fought Saint-Denis.
The New Zealander has made a habit of stopping hype trains during his UFC run, with stoppage wins over James Vick, Jalin Turner, and Marc Diakiese on his resume. A victory over Parnasse could vault him back into lightweight title contention after consecutive setbacks. Hooker said shutting down Parnasse in front of a hostile French crowd would make the hostile reception worthwhile.
UFC Paris goes down September 5th with Hooker and Parnasse headlining.
Original reporting:
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