Kiwi MMA fighter Dan Hooker is days away from realising one of his lifelong goals.
The Aucklander is on the UFC 219 card on New Year's Eve in Las Vegas, a rare achievement for a Kiwi.
The 27-year-old lightweight leaves for the US in a few days, facing a very different festive season.
Hooker is gearing up for a unique Christmas day, with the NZ fighter needing to drop a few kilos to make his new fight weight of 70kg.
Lightweight MMA fighter Hooker will fight Marc Diakiese at UFC 219.
"I'll be cutting weight then, water loading and just eating, eating pretty lean," said Hooker.
He'll land in Las Vegas on Christmas eve US time and be based at the famous MGM Grand for six days before taking on English fighter Marc Diakese who is ranked in the UFC top 20 in the lightweight division.
"I've fought in the States, I've fought in Saitama Super Arena in Japan, so I'm running out of bucket list things to tick off really."
The main event is a featherweight title fight between women's champion Cris Cyborg and American fighter Holly Holm.
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