UFC Auckland: Dan Hooker and Paul Felder drop hostilities to honour Māori customs ahead of main event bout

Paul Felder and Dan Hooker will square off in the main event at UFC Fight Night 168 in Auckland this Sunday. Photo / Photosport

Whatever bad blood there may be between Dan Hooker and Paul Felder, it has nothing on the pair's respect to observe and participate in cultural traditions.

The UFC lightweight stars will square off inside the octagon in the main event of UFC Fight Night 168 at Spark Arena on Sunday, but went face to face on Tuesday at Ōrākei Marae where Felder, fellow UFC stars Loma Lookboonmee and Joshua Culibao, and a host of other visitors were welcomed to Auckland.

The visitors were welcomed with a pōwhiri at the marae, with Hooker, members of City Kickboxing as well as people of the local iwi, Ngāti Whātua, greeting them with a hongi at the end of the ceremony.

While no words were spoken between the two, when the time came to press their noses together they made sure the other felt their presence.

"I'm a man of respect and it's all about respect," Hooker said of the exchange. "I respect the Māori culture so much that whatever we have between each other you put that aside.

"A marae is a place of peace. You can't start conflict, it would be hugely disrespectful to the Māori culture. So I hongi my opponent but as soon as we're out here all bets are back off."

For Felder, who said he had no reservations with dropping any hostility he may have towards Hooker to observe tradition, it was a unique way to start his time in New Zealand which will culminate in what shapes up as an early contender for fight of the year.

For both fighters, Sunday's bout will be their first time headlining a card in their respective UFC careers. With Felder and Hooker at No 6 and 7 in the lightweight rankings respectively, the bout looms as a pivotal match-up in the strongest division of the world's premier mixed martial arts promotion.

Both fighters are known for their fan-friendly styles; they don't go into the octagon looking to out-point their opponents, they go in looking for a way to end the fight as soon as possible. In 17 career wins, Felder has 10 knockouts and one submission. Hooker has 10 knockouts and seven by submissions in 19 career wins.

Their hongi at the marae on Tuesday was the second time the two had been face-to-face since their fight was announced, with an intense, drawn-out staredown at a media opportunity late last year.

That was a motivating exchange for the 35-year-old American, who said he returned to New Zealand in the best condition of his life.

"I know we say that all the time, but I mean it. I'm mean and I'm nasty right now.

"Being in the main event in Auckland, where he's from, I have to show up. I have to be on my A-game. I had to do all the things – you've got to spend the money, you've got to bring the people in, you've got to spend the time in training camp and put in the work.

"I don't know what's going to happen on Sunday, I can't tell you that, I'm not a prediction guy – so before anybody asks, I have no idea, none of you have any idea, nobody in the world knows what's going to happen – so to predict that is impossible. All I can predict is I'm prepared, I'm ready, I'm in shape, I will make weight with the easiest time I've ever made weight.

"I am excited for this one, guys. I can overstate that enough that getting this main event, being here in New Zealand and putting on a show on Sunday is all I plan on doing."