Dan Hooker is treating his upcoming co-main event slot at UFC 325 like a hometown fight without the pressure that typically comes with it. The New Zealand lightweight faces Benoit Saint Denis at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on February 1, and he's leaning into the regional support that bridges Australia and New Zealand.
"When Australia and New Zealand go to war, they go to war together": Dan Hooker embraces ANZAC support at UFC 325
"I'm looking at this as a hometown fight without the hometown pressure," Hooker told MMA Junkie during fight week. "The support here is incredible. When Australia and New Zealand go to war, they go to war together as the ANZACs, so it's like that when we're taking on the rest of the world."
The ANZAC reference carries weight beyond sports. The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps was formed during World War I, with troops from both nations fighting together at Gallipoli in 1915. The term has since become shorthand for the bond between the two countries.
The Auckland native jumped at the opportunity to fight in Sydney specifically because of the card's main event. Alexander Volkanovski defends his featherweight title against Diego Lopes in what marks the first time the Australian champion has defended on home soil. Hooker wanted to be part of that moment.
"I jumped on this fight because it is here in Sydney and it is close to home and I wanted to be a part of this card," Hooker said. "I knew Volk was the main event and I wanted to jump on and just be a part of it, and it's been incredible being here in Sydney. I'm really glad that I did this."
The fight represents a quick turnaround for Hooker, who lost to Arman Tsarukyan via second-round submission at UFC Qatar on November 22, 2025. Just 69 days separate that loss from his bout with Saint Denis. Hooker made clear this wasn't a panic move after a setback.
"I had such a quick turnaround just because of this event," he explained. "It wasn't like a lot of other fighters where they panic after a loss and they're like 'I need to get it back.' I jumped on this fight because it is here in Sydney and it is close to home."
Saint Denis brings a dangerous finishing record into the contest. The French fighter holds a 16-3 professional record with four knockout wins and 10 submission victories. He's coming off a 16-second knockout of Beneil Dariush in November 2025 and has won his last three fights.
The lightweight clash sits second on a main card that features several Australian and New Zealand fighters competing in front of what's expected to be a partisan crowd. For Hooker, the atmosphere provides motivation rather than nerves as he looks to bounce back from the Tsarukyan loss.