Dan Hooker finally reunites with family 56 days after UFC 257 (video)

UFC lightweight contender Dan Hooker has finally reunited with his family after 56 days on the road.

Hooker, a native of New Zealand, last fought at UFC 257 in January in Las Vegas, where he succumbed to a tough knockout loss at the hands of Michael Chandler. Because of current international travel restrictions—particularly those of New Zealand—Hooker was then forced to undergo multiple quarantines before returning home and reuniting with his family.

Late last month, he finally made it back to New Zealand and, after another period of quarantine, was finally reunited with his family on Monday.

See the video of the Hooker family’s long-awaited reunion below.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMITyGCBx_Q/

While Dan Hooker has been separated from his family since UFC 257, the time in isolation has evidently given him plenty of time to contemplate his loss to Chandler and his future in the crowded UFC lightweight division.

“Now I got an ugly-ass record as it is, it’s not like I got to protect the damn thing,” Hooker told ESPN after UFC 257 (via MMAMania). “It’s a powerful thing knowing you can pick yourself back up. That is what allows me to take risks other guys aren’t willing to take.”

Since joining the UFC roster in 2016, Hooker has gone 10-6 with the promotion, defeating the likes of Hatsu Hioki, Ross Pearson, Jim Miller, Gilbert Burns, James Vick, Al Iaquinta and Paul Felder, and coming up short against top-flight foes like Dustin Poirier and Chandler.

Now that he’s back on home soil, Hooker can get back to work at his training headquarters at City Kickboxing, which is also the chosen gym of stars like Israel Adesanya, Brad Riddell, Kai Kara-France and Carlos Ulberg.

What do you think the future holds for Dan Hooker now that he’s back home with his family? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.