Dan Hooker is danger of missing fight due to visa issue
Dan Hooker has a big fight ahead of him but if he doesn’t get his visa issues settled he will be unable to leave New Zealand.
Hooker took to Twitter on Thursday to plead for help. He is currently in trouble of missing his fight due to passport and visa issues. He has a fight scheduled with Nasrat Haqparast on September 25, but it seems he may not have clearance in time. Hooker explained in a series of Tweets that he is trying to get a hold of someone who can help him receive the proper paperwork in order to enter the United States and fight in Las Vegas next week.
@USAmbNZ Hi Kevin, apologies for messaging on here but it's a last resort.
My visa is with the US embassy here in NZ as I fight next week in Las Vegas on #UFC266
Update today is it won't be approved until next week due to lock down which will cancel my fight. Please help. 🙏
— Dan Hangman Hooker (@danthehangman) September 16, 2021
Hooker went on to say, “The embassy has my passport and all the completed documentation, all I need is it to be processed and returned. This is an absolute last resort.”
Dan Hooker will be coming into this fight with Haqparast having dropped his last two against very tough opponents. Hooker was looking to get the win under his belt and regain his momentum in the lightweight division. Just a year ago he was very close to a title shot, now he has dropped to number 8 in the rankings. Hooker has been actively calling for fights over the last three months. Staying busy, even against an unranked opponent should keep Hooker within striking distance of the top five.
His opponent Haqparast recently lost his mother but has decided to continue with his scheduled matchup. It seems both of these men still want to make the fight happen, but in reality, it seems the fight will have to be pushed back. In New Zealand, the COVID-19 precautions are very strict. At this time residents are unable to leave their house unless for certain reasons. To return, there is a mandatory two-week lockdown. Hooker must abide by all of these rules in order to gain his visa. It seems that time is just not in his favor.
