On Memorial Day weekend in New Zealand, UFC lightweight Dan Hooker hosted an amateur MMA tournament involving 32 fighters in his own backyard, drawing attention amid controversy surrounding the event’s safety and legality. The tournament, dubbed ‘One Minute Scraps,’ showcased intense action, but faced criticism from media and officials concerned about its organization and ties to local gangs.

Details of the Backyard MMA Tournament and Its Reception

The event held by Dan Hooker featured fighters of varying weights competing in quick, one-minute rounds resulting in numerous knockouts and highlight moments. While fans enjoyed the raw spectacle, some New Zealand media outlets questioned the legitimacy and legal standing of the fights, alleging involvement of participants linked to nine local gangs.

Hooker, however, dismissed these claims and defended the event as well-managed and safe. He emphasized the smooth execution, stating no serious injuries occurred aside from one fighter hurting his arm during a punch. Hooker highlighted that despite minor scrapes, all competitors conducted themselves respectfully throughout the competition.

It ran smooth, not a single issue,

Hooker told The Mac Life.

We knocked out 30 fights in an hour and no serious injuries. We had one one fighter hurt his arm punching someone else. And that was the most serious injury we had for the day. Bumps and scrapes, like everyone came and funned it up. And win lose or draw, everyone carried themselves real well.

—Dan Hooker, UFC Fighter

Hooker Responds to Media Criticism and Rules Questioning

Critics, particularly some journalists and figures from the traditional boxing world, voiced skepticism about the amateur MMA event. Hooker accused them of reacting prematurely based on social media clips without proper understanding. He expressed frustration at the negative portrayal, mocking the criticism and reaffirming his own standards of professionalism.

We had sensationalist journalists just running with it,

Hooker remarked.

Some old boxing heads watched the same Instagram videos as everyone else and they just made assumptions. You make assumptions, you make an ass out of yourself and an ass out of me. But it’s like they’re doing the promotion for me. I’m in the national paper. I’m in the paper in Australia. Sheer f—kery. I’m sitting at home in my frog PJs with my daughter saying ‘Yeah, I’m a real thug, mate.’

—Dan Hooker, UFC Fighter

Hooker stressed that New Zealand’s Boxing and Wrestling Act of 1981 is outdated, lacking clear provisions for regulating amateur MMA, which complicated official oversight on such tournaments. Despite that, he insisted that the event maintained professional protocols, including the presence of judges and medical personnel to ensure fighter safety.

Of course I had judges, of course I had medics,

Hooker said.

Of course I medically checked all the boys and had that all cleared, had the right things in the right places … The boxing heads had something to say about it, but I don’t answer [to them]. That wasn’t boxing, and had nothing to do with the boxing heads. I don’t know those guys.

—Dan Hooker, UFC Fighter

Ensuring Compliance and Safety Measures

Hooker took responsibility for securing all necessary permissions and ensuring appropriate safety standards were met. He mentioned consulting the relevant authorities and clearing rules beforehand to avoid conflicts within the combat sports community. This attention to detail was meant to legitimize the event and protect both fighters and organizers.

We had the rules checked and cleared. We asked the right people that needed to be asked. I knew I would have to answer to the combat sports community in New Zealand. And of course I had all of those things in place.

—Dan Hooker, UFC Fighter

Future Footage Release and Potential Impact

To counter negative press and provide transparency, Hooker plans to release extended footage of the tournament. He believes that once viewers see the full event, including respectful sportsmanship and organized competition, doubts and criticism will diminish. Hooker is confident the videos will change perceptions about backyard amateur MMA in New Zealand.

I’ll post up clips for a bit longer on social media and then [The Mac Life] will post up the highlight and then post up the full thing,

Hooker said.

Once you watch the whole thing, I think then people will really have to eat their own words and shut up because they’ll see how cool it was, they’ll see how much respect there was.

—Dan Hooker, UFC Fighter

Despite Hooker’s efforts, there remains skepticism about MMA’s broader acceptance in New Zealand, as the country grapples with integrating the sport into its existing regulatory frameworks. Authorities, including police, may still investigate the event for potential breaches, underscoring ongoing tensions between emerging MMA culture and traditional combat sport regulations. Nevertheless, Hooker’s event reflects a growing grassroots interest in MMA and indicates a possible shift in public acceptance over time, similar to developments seen in the United States.