Dan Hooker didn’t just criticize Patty Pimblett’s fighting ability this week — he questioned his character.

While speaking to the media at UFC 325 media day ahead of his bout with Benoît Saint-Denis in Sydney, Hooker unloaded on Pimblett’s recent loss to Justin Gaethje. What started as standard fight analysis quickly turned personal.

“Dog s***,” Hooker said when asked about Pimblett’s performance.
“He talks an awful lot of s*** for someone that fights like that.”

Hooker wasn’t finished.

“If the only thing coming out of that fight is that you’ve got a good chin, coming from experience, you fought like s***. He talks and talks, then gets caught and turns into a victim straight away.”

Then Hooker dropped a story that sent MMA social media into a frenzy.

Hooker claimed Pimblett once talked trash about Conor McGregor — and that McGregor responded by pulling up to Pimblett’s house.

“Is that common knowledge?” Hooker said.
“Conor McGregor drove around to his house, sat outside in his car calling the bloke, and Patty refused to come outside. That tells you all you need to know about a guy.”

The clip exploded. Within hours it racked up over a million views, with reposts from major MMA pages like Happy Punch, Championship Rounds, and MMA Uncensored. Hooker framed the story as proof that Pimblett talks big but folds when confronted.

But once the internet started digging, the narrative began to unravel.

What Actually Happened in Liverpool

The story Hooker referenced dates back to 2017, when McGregor was in Liverpool during the Grand National horse racing weekend. According to multiple reports at the time, McGregor — heavily intoxicated — was roaming the city looking to continue partying.

He had heard of Pimblett, a rising Cage Warriors star from Liverpool, and allegedly wanted to meet him.

Here’s the key detail: McGregor went to the wrong house.

Pimblett addressed the rumor publicly in 2021, flatly denying that McGregor ever showed up at his home.

“My house has CCTV cameras and Conor McGregor never appeared on them,” Pimblett said.
“He wasn’t looking for a fight — he was drunk at 3 a.m. looking for someone to party with.”

Multiple outlets later echoed the skepticism, noting:

There’s no evidence Pimblett ever trash-talked McGregor in 2017

Pimblett openly admired McGregor early in his career

McGregor, who documents everything, never mentioned such a confrontation

As many fans pointed out online, if McGregor had truly “pulled up” on someone hiding from him, the world would have heard about it immediately.

Still, accuracy didn’t matter much to Hooker. He used the story to reinforce his broader point: that Pimblett talks first and answers later.

How This Beef Really Started

The bad blood between Hooker and Pimblett is surprisingly recent.

In early January 2026, Pimblett was asked about Arman Tsarukyan’s title hopes. Instead of stopping there, Pimblett went off-script and took a shot at Hooker — unprompted.

“Simple as lad,” Pimblett said.
“He shouldn’t headbutt people at weigh-ins and pull out of title fights the night before.”

Hooker initially ignored it. Then Pimblett crossed a line.

In a later interview, Pimblett made a crude joke about Hooker’s grappling, saying Hooker “couldn’t grapple a rapist off his mum.” Pimblett later claimed it was Liverpool-style humor — a hypothetical insult aimed at grappling ability, not Hooker’s mother personally. Michael Bisping even defended it as cultural banter.

Hooker didn’t see it that way.

Hooker Goes Nuclear

Hooker fired back on social media with a now-infamous post:

“It’s on site, you fat b****.”

Then he went further — far further.

Hooker referenced Ricky, Pimblett’s close friend who died by suicide in 2022. Pimblett has spoken openly about Ricky’s death and has used his platform to advocate for mental health awareness. Hooker’s comments implied Pimblett hadn’t done enough as a friend.

The MMA world recoiled.

When asked about it, Hooker showed no remorse.

“F*** around and find out,” Hooker said.
“You go low, I go lower. There’s no coming back from that.”

Pimblett responded by calling it “the lowest of the low.”

“Mentioning dead people is where you draw the line. That’s not trash talk — that’s being a terrible person.”

Both men now say it’s “on sight.”

Styles Make the Fight — If It Happens

Beyond the personal venom, the matchup itself is compelling.

Pimblett

Dangerous BJJ black belt

9 career submissions

2.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes

Struggles defensively on the feet

Absorbs more strikes than he lands

Hooker

Muay Thai-based striker

High-volume offense and long reach

Top-five lightweight

Vulnerable to elite grapplers

Submitted by Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira

If the fight stays standing, most analysts favor Hooker heavily. If Pimblett gets it to the mat, the danger flips instantly.

Online predictions lean roughly 65–35 in Hooker’s favor, with many expecting a mid-round TKO — but Pimblett’s submission threat remains the wild card.

Where Things Stand Now

As of late January 2026:

Hooker is focused on Benoît Saint-Denis at UFC 325

Pimblett is coming off a brutal loss to Justin Gaethje

No fight is booked — yet

The UFC rarely ignores this level of genuine animosity. A future booking — possibly on a UK card — feels inevitable if both men win or remain available.

This feud has already crossed the line from promotional trash talk into something darker and more personal. Whether it ends in the octagon or explodes somewhere outside it, one thing is certain:

When Dan Hooker and Patty Pimblett finally share the same space again, it won’t be quiet — and it won’t be friendly.

And as for that Conor McGregor story?
True or not, it’s part of the narrative now.

In MMA, perception often matters more than facts — and Hooker made sure his version was heard loud and clear.