MMA
UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse Predictions and Best Bets
UFC Fight Night takes place in France this weekend and William Hill News are on hand with predictions for Dan Hooker vs Salahdine Parnasse.
Paris’ Accor Arena is the venue for this weekend’s headline UFC card, Frenchman Salahdine getting the opportunity to fight in front of his home fans as the UFC returns to France for the fifth consecutive year.
Parnasse, a one-time KSW Lightweight Champion, makes his UFC debut here while New Zealand native Hooker, a UFC veteran, is having his 24th promotional fight.
Let’s take a look at how things could unfold on Saturday night.
Prediction
UFC Fight Night 287 is a particularly intriguing edition of the promotion’s flagship event series, pitching one of their most experienced fighters against a complete newcomer and somewhat of an unknown entity.
Parnasse boasts and impressive record of 23 wins and two losses in his 25-fight career, the majority of which have been in the KSW organisation, one of Europe’s leading MMA promotions.
He possesses a lethal blend of precision southpaw boxing, devastating liver kicks, and dominant top-control grappling. Following a destructive streak of five consecutive knockout victories Parnasse officially signed with UFC. They immediately pitched him in at the deep end, here, but his dynamic finishing instincts and undeniable star potential suggests he’ll cope.
He is viewed by many as the next big thing in global mixed martial arts. Widely regarded as one of the best fighters outside the UFC, the 28-year-old French-Moroccan phenom dominated Europe’s elite circuit as a rare two-division champion KSW.
His record in KSW will make him well-known among dedicated MMA fans, but he’ll be a new name to most households when Saturday night rolls around. Despite that, he is the 1/7 favourite for this fight and is odds-on to win by knockout at 8/11.
Hooker will be no pushover, however, proven by his strong professional record and UFC experience. His immense durability and towering reach make him a dangerous opponent nonetheless, and not one that the Frenchman should easily overlook.
If Hooker can weather Parnasse’s explosive early pressure, his signature intercepting knees and gritty chin could drag the newcomer into deep waters. However, the technical troubles for the New Zealander are obvious. Hooker traditionally struggles with dynamic, high-speed southpaws who utilise lateral movement.
Parnasse’s elite footwork and lightning-fast hand combinations will likely exploit Hooker’s tendency to engage in pocket brawls. If Hooker leaves his midsection exposed while rushing forward, he plays right into Parnasse’s devastating body attacks.
He is the underdog here at 4/1 and understandably so. If he manages to get the better of Parnasse it’ll likely be via dragging the fight right to the final bell and winning by decision (10/1).
The odds are clearly in favour of Parnasse managing an early victory, with 4/11 the price for it to last under 3.5 rounds, while the Frenchman is 6/4 to finish it in the first.
Prediction: Parnasse Salahdine by KO – 8/11
*Prices accurate at the time of writing – odds subject to change
