Hooker On Parnasse: 'Only One Dumb Enough' To Fight Him

Dan Hooker and Salahdine Parnasse met for their pre-fight face-off in a shadowy Paris tunnel Monday, bypassing the Eiffel Tower and other tourist spots as their UFC Paris showdown approaches.

The lightweight main event airs Saturday night at Accor Arena, with Hooker welcoming the former KSW two-division champion to the octagon. MMA Mania reported the staredown took place near a busy city street rather than at a traditional press event.

Hooker Calls Out UFC's Pay Structure After Parnasse Offer

Hooker admitted he had never heard of the European fighter before the bout was proposed. "My manager told me how much money they were offering me to fight him, and they must think this kid's pretty hot," Hooker told MMA Fighting. "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."

The New Zealander said the UFC clearly values Parnasse highly based on the purse. "You want a superstar, I'm the only one dumb enough to fight the kid," he said.

Hooker enters at 24-14 while Parnasse brings his KSW credentials to the UFC for the first time. The height difference was visible during the face-off, with Hooker towering over his opponent.

First bell rings Saturday night in Paris.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Dan Hooker, Salahdine Parnasse skip tourist traps, face off on the streets of Paris ahead of UFC showdown