Dan Hooker responds to death threats ahead of UFC Paris
The New Zealander says he has also received messages from French fans apologizing for the threats.
Dan Hooker will be stepping into enemy territory when he enters the Octagon at UFC Paris to face Salahdine Parnasse. Ahead of the matchup, the New Zealander has received plenty of hostile messages from French fans. However, Hooker doesn't appear concerned about the atmosphere at the Accor Arena and believes he can use the crowd's energy to his advantage.
Dan Hooker Responds to Death Threats from French Fans
Hooker previously addressed the reaction from French fans after some supporters of Parnasse sent him death threats on social media. The veteran lightweight doesn't appear particularly bothered by the situation, though, and encouraged fans to make their calls before the fight rather than after the result is known. Speaking to MMA Fighting, Hooker explained his approach to the criticism.
"I like that," Hooker said. "Get your bits in before the fight. Hindsight is 20/20. Anyone can be right in retrospect. It happens to come back and shoot your shit. After the fight? Nah! Make your call. Get your Mystic Mac."
Despite the threats, Hooker says he has also received plenty of positive messages from French fans ahead of his trip to Paris. Some supporters even apologized for the behavior of those who threatened him, leaving the New Zealander unconcerned about potentially facing a hostile crowd.
"Since I did say that, I've had a lot of French fans reaching out to me and say that they're just excited for the fight and they're excited that I'm making the trip out there," Hooker said. "I've had a lot of people just reach out and kind of apologize for the death threats and they're excited for me to come over and put on a show. I don't even feel like I'm walking into hostile territory. I feel like there will be a lot of people excited for the fight."
Dan Hooker Embraces Hostile UFC Paris Crowd
Facing a French fan favorite in Parnasse, Hooker expects the crowd to be firmly behind his opponent. However, the New Zealander has fought in front of hostile crowds before and says he doesn't care whether the fans support Parnasse. In fact, he believes their reaction can fuel him inside the Octagon.
"Whether they love me or hate me, I couldn't care less," Hooker said. "I feed off the energy entirely. At the end of the day, there ain't nothing anybody can do about it. He could have 10 or 20,000 people in there who want to kill me. Ain't nothing they can do but shut the f*ck up and eat their popcorn and watch me beat their boy. That's all they've got in store."
