Local MMA fighter Dan Hooker off to Las Vegas

Leading mixed martial artist Dan Hooker will be one of the first Kiwi athletes to compete outside Australasia since Covid-19 struck when he fights in Las Vegas later this month. The Aucklander is the fifth-ranked fighter in the lightweight division of the UFC, the world's biggest MMA promotion. Hooker will face third-ranked American Dustin Poirier in a pupose-built facility at the UFC's headquarters in Las Vegas, with no fans in attendance. The fight has been in the works for several weeks, and Hooker told Clay Wilson the Covid-19 crisis meant getting the bout confirmed was a challenging process.