Dan Hooker walks into UFC 325 with a home-field benefit, and he’s loving each minute of it.
Emanating from Qudos Financial institution Enviornment in Sydney, Saturday’s extremely anticipated return to The Land Down Beneath will probably be co-headlined by a lightweight clash between Hooker and streaking knockout artist Benoit Saint-Denis.
Whereas he hails from Auckland, New Zealand, the ‘Hangman’ sees combating in Sydney as a hometown battle with out the entire hometown strain.
“Yeah, I’m trying that this can be a hometown battle with out the hometown strain,” Hooker informed MMA Junkie. “It’s the assist right here is completely unbelievable. When Australia and New Zealand go to warfare, they go to warfare collectively because the ANZACs, so it’s like that after we’re taking up the remainder of the world… I jumped on this battle as a result of it’s right here in Sydney and it’s near house and I needed to be part of this card.
“I knew Volk was the primary occasion and I needed to leap on and simply be part of it, and it’s been unbelievable being right here in Sydney. I’m actually glad that I did this.”
Dan Hooker expects Saint-Denis to grapple in co-main occasion conflict
A winner in three of his final 4, Hooker presently sits because the sixth-ranked contender within the light-weight division. Beforehand, he rattled off three straight wins earlier than suffering a first-round loss towards No. 1 ranked Arman Tsarukyan in November.
As for his opponent, Saint-Denis has dispatched his final three opponents, together with an epic 16-second knockout of Beneil Dariush at UFC 322 final yr.
“Sensible cash would say he’s going to try to take me down,” Hooker mentioned of Saint-Denis. “Fights are usually dictated by who can press who towards the cage or who can keep out within the open. I clearly wish to keep out within the open and maintain it on my toes.
“He 100% desires to press me towards the cage and get some management time and take the battle the place he has the benefit. He’s a wise man. I don’t take him as a silly man. I don’t assume that he’s going to return all this method to stand within the pocket and swing punches with me. I don’t assume that’s a really sensible transfer to do, and I calculate him as a really sensible man.”
