Dan Hooker has found ways to stay active this year, despite his absence from professional fights.
A hand injury in March prevented him from participating in a highly anticipated co-main event bout against Justin Gaethje.
Originally, `The Hangman` aimed for a quicker return, but his comeback was repeatedly delayed as he worked to regain fight readiness.
These setbacks now seem resolved, and Hooker is set to headline UFC Doha on November 22, where he will face Arman Tsarukyan.
However, his recovery period also allowed him to pursue other passions, which he has no intention of abandoning.
Dan Hooker Proposes Unique `Dads with No Fights` Boxing Tournament
Earlier in the year, Hooker faced some backlash when he began organizing his own boxing tournaments featuring local New Zealand fighters.
Despite the criticism, `The Hangman` persevered, turning his `1-minute scraps` tournaments into a recurring fixture.
Last month, Hooker stepped into the role of a promoter for his latest event, actively motivating participants before their gym-based showdowns.
Speaking with Combat TV, Hooker revealed that his events are “doing pretty crazy numbers.” He has shows scheduled for November, December, and January, each with a unique theme. For instance, the “King of Knockouts” tournament requires participants to have a prior knockout victory on their record.
Towards the end of the interview, Hooker teased an even more uniquely themed event he`s currently conceptualizing.
This upcoming tournament promises an unconventional and distinctive concept.
He explained, “The next one, I’ve got a cool one. I’m not even going to do fighters; it’s going to be dads. Christmas is coming up in December, and dads need money for Christmas. So, we`re going to get dads out there – dads with no prior fights. These are guys who’ve trained for a long time but never had the chance to compete, so we’re focusing on them.”
Dan Hooker`s Upcoming Months: A Packed Schedule
Beyond his commitments to the boxing promotion, Dan Hooker is visibly highly motivated for his long-anticipated UFC return next month.
Hooker has persistently challenged Arman Tsarukyan, and their forthcoming bout holds significant stakes, potentially serving as a title eliminator within the lightweight division.
Remarkably, Hooker stated that he feels even more motivated for this fight than he did for the ill-fated Justin Gaethje matchup, which disappointed many fans.
He elaborated to Combat TV, “This is the fight I wanted because I feel like it’s against a guy everyone expects to beat me. That’s what I crave. That’s precisely why I want this fight. While everyone desires the Gaethje fight and other entertaining matchups, for me, it`s about the toughest challenge. I want the opponent everyone predicts I’ll lose to… This fight truly motivates me. The Gaethje fight didn’t even spark that same level of excitement.”
