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Dan Hooker responds to death threats he received ahead of UFC Paris: ‘Nothing they can do but shut the f*ck up’

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8 hours ago

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Dan Hooker responds to death threats he received ahead of UFC Paris: ‘Nothing they can do but shut the f*ck up’

When the UFC came calling to ask Dan Hooker to fight in a main event in Paris against a local favorite making his debut, the veteran lightweight didn't blink and immediately said yes.

Hooker has never avoided enemy territory when it comes to his fights and he had an itchy feeling the UFC knew he was the one person ranked in the top 15 at lightweight who wouldn't turn down that opportunity. His opponent Salahdine Parnassse isn't a household name by any means but he held titles in two divisions while competing in KSW and the French fans definitely love and support him.

In fact, the fanbase in France adores Parnasse so much that as soon as the fight got announced, Hooker started getting bombarded with messages on social media including more than a few that came across as death threats. Now that might seem a little severe for a UFC fight but it really didn't bother Hooker all that much, especially knowing he'd get to keep those receipts for his post-fight celebration when he wins on Saturday.

“I like that,†Hooker told MMA Fighting. “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.â€

That said, Hooker admits that after he first spoke about the death threats coming from some French fans, he actually received more than a few messages welcoming him to the country wih enthusiasm that he accepted the matchup and the main event at UFC Paris.

“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.â€

While death threats should always be taken seriously, Hooker isn't losing any sleep over those kinds of messages because ultimately his job comes down to one thing — beating Salahdine Parnasse at UFC Paris.

The fans who chose to write those nasty messages can yell, scream and boo him all they want once he walks out to the octagon but Hooker knows not a single one of them can actually help Parnasse in the fight.

“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.â€

Hooker also acknowledges that even though this is Parnasse's debut in the UFC, this is by far the biggest opportunity of his young career and that's going to put a lot of pressure on him.

Throughout his own UFC career, Hooker has felt the highest of highs and the lowest of lows so this kind of matchup is nothing new for him. But the same can't be said for Parnasse, who has never felt the bright lights and the intense scrutiny that comes along with headlining a major UFC card.

“He's the one out here with something to prove,†Hooker said. “I've just got to shut up this no-name kid. That's easy for me.â€

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MMA

Cris Cyborg wants to ‘save’ UFC 332 with Amanda Nunes revenge fight

Published

3 hours ago

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September 5, 2026

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Cris Cyborg wants to ‘save’ UFC 332 with Amanda Nunes revenge fight
Cris
Cyborg has offered the
Ultimate Fighting Championship a solution to its UFC 332
main event problem.

Cyborg took to social media to call for a rematch with former
two-division champion Amanda
Nunes, suggesting the fight could headline the Oct. 3 numbered
event in Salt Lake City, which still doesn't have an announced
headliner. The pair faced off back in 2018, when Nunes won via
first-round KO.

Cris Cyborg calls for Amanda Nunes rematch after UFC 332
headliner uncertainty

A women's flyweight title fight between Valentina
Shevchenko and Natalia
Silva was rumored for UFC 332, but recent reports indicate
Shevchenko has been forced to withdraw. With other UFC champions
having recently fought or already booked for later events, the
promotion appears to be scrambling to find a viable headliner.

Cyborg has offered a solution. The former UFC champ took to X to
call for a rematch with her former foe, Nunes. The latter was
expected to take on Kayla
Harrison earlier this year, but a neck injury to Harrison saw
the matchup fall through.

“[Amanda Nunes] tired of waiting for [Kayla Harrison]?†Cyborg
wrote on X. “Feel like saving an UFC event?â€

They initially squared off at
UFC 232 in December 2018, when Nunes emerged victorious to
become a double champ. “The Lioness†retired in 2023, while Cyborg
most recently competed at
PFL Tampa on Aug. 22, defeating Ketlen
Vieira by unanimous decision in what was expected to be her
final mixed martial arts bout.

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MMA

UFC Paris: 'Hooker vs. Parnasse' Live Results and Highlights

Published

4 hours ago

on

September 5, 2026

By

UFC Paris: 'Hooker vs. Parnasse' Live Results and Highlights
Trending:

NSAC doubles down on punishment for UFC 329 fighters, fines Paddy Pimblett and two other big names

The Octagon returns to France for today's UFC Paris event, a 14-bout fight card headlined by Dan Hooker vs. Salahdine Parnasse.

Hooker (24-14 MMA) will enter the contest with hopes of snapping a two-fight losing skid. ‘The Hangman' most previously competed this past February at UFC 325 in Sydney, where he suffered a second-round TKO loss to Benoit Saint Denis. That setback was preceded by a submission loss to Arman Tsarukyan in November of last year. Prior to those defeats, Dan Hooker had put together a three-fight winning streak, a stretch which included victories over Jalin Turner and Mateusz Gamrot.

Meanwhile, Salahdine Parnasse (23-2 MMA) will be making his Octagon debut this evening in Paris. The former two-division KSW champion will enter the contest on a five-fight winning streak, with his most recent victory coming over Kenneth Cross at May's ‘Rousey vs. Carano' MVP MMA event.

Today's UFC Paris event is co-headlined by a lightweight bout featuring Fares Ziam taking on Axel Sola.

Ziam (18-5 MMA) will enter the contest looking to rebound, this after suffering a decision loss to Tom Nolan in his most recent Octagon appearance this past June. Prior to that setback, the ‘Smile Killer' had strung together a six-fight winning streak, a stretch which included knockout victories over Matt Frevola and Nazim Sadykhov.

Meanwhile, Axel Sola (12-1-1 MMA) most previously competed this past July, where he scored a first-round submission victory over Ismael Bonfim. Prior to that triumph, the Frenchman was coming off the first loss of his professional career which he suffered at the hands of Mason Jones by way of unanimous decision.

If that wasn't enough to get you interested, today's UFC Paris main card lineup also features a highly anticipated middleweight contest between Michael Page and Nursulton Ruziboev.

Michael ‘Venom' Page walking out at UFC London. Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Page (25-3 MMA) will enter the bout on a three-fight winning streak, this after scoring decision victories over Sharabutdin Magomedov, Jared Cannonier and Sam Patterson in his most recent Octagon appearances. Prior to those triumphs, ‘Venom' had suffered a decision loss to recent UFC welterweight title challenger Ian Machado Garry.

Meanwhile, Nursulton Ruziboev (37-9-2 MMA) also currently boasts a three-fight winning streak, with his most recent Octagon victory coming over Andrey Pulyaev via submission this past June. The Uzbekistan native has gone 12-1 over his past thirteen fights overall.

Get all of today's live results and highlights below:

UFC Paris Main Card (3pm EST on Paramount+)

Lightweight: Dan Hooker vs. Salahdine Parnasse –

Lightweight: Farès Ziam vs. Axel Sola –

Middleweight: Michael Page vs. Nursulton Ruziboev –

Welterweight: Daniil Donchenko vs. Punahele Soriano –

Featherweight: Kurtis Campbell vs. Trevor Peek –

Featherweight: Losene Keita vs. Muhammad Naimov –

UFC Paris Prelims (12pm EST on Paramount+)

Featherweight: Morgan Charrière vs. Felipe Lima –

Heavyweight: Mário Pinto vs. Ryan Spann –

Light Heavyweight – Oumar Sy vs. Modestas Bukauskas – Bukauskas def. Sy via TKO (knee and punches) at 3:57 of Round 2

Featherweight: Nathaniel Wood vs. Pavel Andrusca – Andrusca def. Wood by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

Flyweight: Michael Aljarouj vs. Fabià Sintes – Sintes def. Aljarouj by unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 29-27)

Women's Bantamweight: Nora Cornolle vs. Klaudia Syguła – Cornolle def. Syguła by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Middleweight: Matthieu Letho Duclos vs. Luis Felipe Dias – Duclos def. Dias via TKO (punches) at 4:35 of Round 1

Women's Strawweight: Delphine Benouaich vs. Sofia Montenegro – Benouaich def. Montenegro via technical submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:22 of Round 2

Who are you picking to win today's event headliner between Dan Hooker and Salahdine Parnasse? Share your predictions in the comment section PENN Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

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MMA

Movsar Evloev has a blunt response to Alexander Volkanovski’s UFC 333 plan

Published

6 hours ago

on

September 5, 2026

By

Movsar Evloev has a blunt response to Alexander Volkanovski’s UFC 333 plan
While Movsar
Evloev is grateful to be taking on a legend in his maiden title
bout in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship, the Russian foresees one-way
traffic.

Evloev (20-0) is set to challenge Volkanovski (28-4) for the UFC
featherweight championship in the
UFC 333 main event on Oct. 24 in Abu Dhabi. The matchup has
been brewing for quite some time now and Evloev claims his skills
have improved, predicting he'll have his way against the two-time
Aussie champ.

Movsar Evloev questions Alexander Volkanovski's strategy ahead
of their UFC 333 title fight

Evloev opened up about his upcoming fight with Volkanovski in an
interview with MMA Junkie, in which he outlined his improvements in
the striking department.

“To become a champion while beating a legend, that’s the dream of
fighters,†Evloev said. “My skills are getting better. My striking,
everyone noticed, is a little bit better than I do before. We’re
confident to fight with a guy like Alex. We respect him. We’ll
respect him even after we beat him. Nothing but respect, but this
is my time.â€

Volkanovski has previously expressed confidence in his ability to
deal with Evloev’s wrestling pressure and force the fight into a
striking battle. The latter questions the champ's approach.

“He's been a little illogical,†Evloev added. “I will do anything I
want. Whenever I decide to take him down, I will take him down… I’m
not scared of his striking skills, too. He’s great. But like I
said, my time is coming. Oct. 24, everybody will see. I’m going to
win.â€

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