Promising French Talent and New Zealand Veteran to Headline UFC Paris

The UFC lightweight division just got a whole lot more exciting with the signing of former KSW champion Salahdine Parnasse, who is set to be thrown straight into the deep end.

Parnasse (23-2) will headline his debut event against established veteran Dan Hooker (24-14). The five-round bout will serve as the main event for UFC Fight Night 287, scheduled for September 5th in Paris.

This marks a potential star-making moment for the 28-year-old Frenchman, Parnasse, who is coming off a first-round knockout victory over Kenneth Cross at an MVP MMA event in May. That fight concluded his tenure with KSW, where he amassed 16 fights and four title defenses in the 70kg division.

Now, he'll test his skills against a long-time Octagon veteran in Hooker, who is currently on a two-fight losing streak, suffering stoppages against Benoît Saint-Denis and Arman Tsarukyan. The 36-year-old hasn't secured a win since August 2024, when he earned a split decision victory over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305.