UFC president Dana White shared his reaction to lightweight contender Salahdine Parnasse’s brilliant UFC debut win over Dan Hooker.
In one of the most stunning UFC debuts in quite some time, Parnasse finished Hooker with a body shot and follow-up strikes to prove that he is one of the best fighters in the world in his weight class.
Dana White Reacts to Salahdine Parnasse’s UFC Debut
Speaking to the media following DWCS, White shared his reaction to Parnasse’s incredible UFC debut knockout win.
“Incredible. He was like the third-biggest debut on social media that we’ve ever had, right behind Paddy Pimblett and (Raul) Rosas Jr.,” White said.
Could Salahdine Parnasse vs. Max Holloway Be Next?
After Parnasse knocked out Hooker, he called out former UFC featherweight champion and former BMF champ Max Holloway for a fight.
White was asked if he is interested in booking that matchup, and here’s what he said.
“The fight was great, and calling out Max Holloway is pretty crazy,” White said.
“Listen, anything’s interesting. The fact that that guy wants to fight Max Holloway right now is impressive. I like it.”
We’ll see if the UFC winds up booking this bout, but it does sound like White is interested in potentially getting it done, as it would be a really fun fight on paper between two fighters who prefer to stand and trade on the feet.
Holloway is coming off a first-round TKO win over Conor McGregor at UFC 329 in July, but the fight ended with an injury knockout. Holloway has said that he is open to fighting McGregor for a third time next year when he returns from his ACL tear, but the UFC might not want to have one of their biggest stars, Holloway, sitting on the sidelines for such a long time.
If the UFC does want to get Holloway back in there before the end of 2026, then Paransse makes a ton of sense as his next opponent, especially since the Frenchman took no damage against Hooker, meaning that he should have no problem making a quick turnaround for his next fight.
Dana White Reacts to Salahdine Parnasse’s UFC Paris Win