A fan got more than he bargained for when he started trash-talking Dan Hooker at a rugby game, with ‘The Hangman’ opting to launch a drink at the spectator.
The UFC star was in attendance to watch his beloved New Zealand Warriors face-off with the Parramatta Eels, and wasn’t particularly pleased when a rival supporter mocked his club.
Dan Hooker threw a drink over a fan at a rugby match
Earlier this month, Dan Hooker headed to Go Media Stadium with a spring in his step, hoping to watch his team pull off a huge victory.
Alas, the Parramatta Eels began to get the better of the match. And if that wasn’t enough to rile up the fighter, a fan slinging insults really pushed him over the edge.
A video shows Hooker sprinting through the stands before launching a drink at a physically imposing fan, which appears to land right on the button.
Undeterred, the target looks to continue throwing jibes at the mixed martial artist, who retaliated by pretending to throw his shoe.
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Showcasing his own fighting instincts, the fan proceeded to show off a Mike Tyson-esque bob and weave before Hooker returned to his seat with a big grin on his face.
Luckily, it appears the whole thing was a bit of fun, with the sportsman explaining the situation in full.
He told Home of Fight: “Just a bit of banter between me and the cob. We were there supporting the New Zealand Warriors and we were getting absolutely pumped by the Parramatta Eels, and that bloke there was just standing up and everybody started spraying each other and started going, ‘Sit down, I’ve had enough of your stuff’.
“Every time they would score, he’s turning around and rubbing it in, and he was saying, ‘How do you like that Hangman’? I don’t know what you guys go to the rugby for, but I go to get into a bit of a spraying match with fans.”
Somehow, the pair even managed to forge some sort of friendship.
Dan Hooker made friends with the man he threw a drink at
In a testament to the New Zealander’s nature, he didn’t take the trash talk to heart and has instead formed a bond with his rival.
Following the match, the pair exchanged messages on social media, and could one day attend a game together.
The 34-year-old laughed: “I was going, ‘This is your last water, mate’. But it was banter. He messaged me after and he was like, ‘Mate, I enjoyed the banter’.
“I said, ‘I loved it, brother’. I said I’m gonna have to buy him a ticket next time so we can sit next to each other, and we can just spray each other sitting next to each other.
“So, I’ve made a new friend. I follow him on Instagram now. I’ve got a mate next time I go to the game, that’s a good sport.”
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