Daniel Hooker is a New Zealand professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer, born in Auckland on 13 February 1990 to a family of Māori (Ngāti Maniapoto) descent. He currently competes in the UFC's lightweight division, where he is ranked #12 as of July 2026, and he previously held both the King in the Ring Middleweight Kickboxing and WKBF X-Rules Welterweight championships. Hooker joined the UFC in 2014, and one of his standout moments came in 2015 when he knocked out Hatsu Hioki, becoming the first man to ever finish him in MMA and earning his first Performance of the Night bonus. Throughout his UFC career, he has scored electrifying knockouts and submissions over notable opponents like Ross Pearson, Jim Miller, Gilbert Burns, and James Vick, collecting multiple post-fight bonus awards. In 2018, he opened his own gym, Combat Academy in Ellerslie, Auckland, while continuing to coach and compete at the highest level of the sport.