Dan Hooker provides positive update on obtaining visa to fight at UFC 266

Dan Hooker may fight at UFC 266 after all.

Hooker is set to fight Nasrat Haqparast next Saturday in Las Vegas in an intriguing lightweight bout. However, on Thursday, the Kiwi took to social media to plea with the New Zealand US embassy to fast track his visa so he can travel to the States to fight.

“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,” Hooker wrote on Twitter.

The news was disappointing to many MMA fans but on Friday, Dan Hooker took to Twitter to provide a positive update. He says he will meet with them on Monday and if everything goes well, he’ll get on a flight on Thursday and arrive Thursday night in Vegas, just hours before he has to weigh in.

And we are in with a shot….they have granted me an appointment Monday. All goes well and I get my passport back, I can jump on the only flight out of NZ Thursday night.

Arrive in Vegas Thursday night, weigh in Friday morning, fight Saturday. ✌️#MMATwitter 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/37l4Ajfba7

— Dan Hangman Hooker (@danthehangman) September 17, 2021

“And we are in with a shot….they have granted me an appointment Monday. All goes well and I get my passport back, I can jump on the only flight out of NZ Thursday night. Arrive in Vegas Thursday night, weigh in Friday morning, fight Saturday,” Hooker wrote on Twitter.

Although Hooker could still fight, the timeline still is an intense one. Given he won’t arrive until Thursday, he is one delayed flight from not being able to take the fight. However, he is looking to still remain on the card and face Haqparast at UFC 266.

Dan Hooker hasn’t fought since UFC 257 in January where he was knocked out by Michael Chandler in the first round. Prior to that, he suffered a decision loss to Dustin Poirier to end his three-fight winning streak.

Do you think Dan Hooker vs. Nasrat Haqparast will happen at UFC 266?