“Too much acceptance”: Daniel Cormier slams Dan Hooker for embracing the gatekeeper role
Daniel Cormier has criticized Dan Hooker for becoming too comfortable with the gatekeeper role and explained why he believes that mindset could hurt the veteran.
Former UFC two-division champion Daniel Cormier slams Dan Hooker’s approach to the latter stages of his career. Cormier suggested that the lightweight veteran has become too comfortable with his role as a gatekeeper.
Hooker's recent performances have gone from bad to worse. The criticism has increased after accepting the fight against Salahdine Parnasse, who was making his UFC debut. ‘The Hangman’ couldn't last a single round against Parnasse at UFC Paris last weekend. This veteran's performance is facing tremendous backlash from the MMA community.
Daniel Cormier blasts Dan Hooker for accepting gatekeeper status
In the build-up to the fight, Hooker revealed that he is making a huge payday for the Parnasse fight and even joked that if the UFC offers him Francis Ngannou for that much, he will accept. He went further and said that if Usman Nurmagomedov, the PFL champion, gets signed by the UFC, he would already be ready to welcome him, since no top-ranked fighter would take that risk.
However, Hooker was brutally finished in the first round at 2:35, leaving fans shocked, as the veteran is known for his resilience and for delivering wars.
Cormier weighed in on Hooker’s loss and believes the veteran’s willingness to embrace the gatekeeper label has become a problem, particularly when he publicly accepts that role before stepping into the octagon.
"When people hear they're a gatekeeper, they're mad and fight that with all they can. Dan Hooker seemed to be embracing that. I think there's too much acceptance, too much comfort in that,” Cormier said in his recent YouTube video.
Cormier feels the approach of Hooker heading into the fight needs to change, highlighting how his fight ended with Parnasse.
“You do that before the fight, and then the fight goes the way it did -- that's really, really not good for Dan Hooker."
Check out Daniel Cormier's comments below:
The defeat extended his losing skid to three. It started when Hooker faced Arman Tsarukyan in November last year and was submitted in the second round. Following that, he faced Benoit Saint Denis and got knocked out in the second round.
Dan Hooker falls down the rankings after Salahdine Parnasse loss
Hookers last win came way back in 2024 when he secured a split decision victory over Mateusz Gamrot. His latest defeat raises questions about how much longer he can remain a serious contender in what is considered one of the toughest divisions to crack.
That said, he lost his spot in the top 10 lightweight rankings and was moved down to 13th after his defeat to Parnasse.
