Salahdine Parnasse signs with UFC, draws UFC Paris main event opposite Dan Hooker

Looks like Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) finally paid the big bucks to get French lightweight Salahdine Parnasse to make his Octagon debut.

According to a report by Ariel Helwani, Parnasse has officially signed with UFC and will be making his long-awaited crossover at UFC Paris on Sept. 5 in Paris, France. Parnasse is expected to fight lightweight veteran Dan Hooker in the main event.

Parnasse, 28, has been one of the very best fighters competing outside of UFC over the past half decade. The former KSW featherweight and lightweight champion nearly signed with UFC back in 2024, but he would have ended up making “20-30 times less” than his richer KSW deal. Two years later and UFC is willing to pay up to get Parnasse’s services. Maybe it’s because the talented French finisher turned in a first-round knockout on the “Rousey vs. Carano” Netflix card earlier this year. His stock has never been higher.

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Hooker, on the other hand, has fallen on some tough times inside of the Octagon. After winning three-straight fights at 155 pounds from 2022-2024, the 36-year-old veteran has lost his last two trips to the cage. While those losses came against top contenders Arman Tsarukyan and Benoit Saint Denis it’s still important for Hooker to right the ship heading into the final months of 2026. Getting past Parnasse will be a tough task, but “Hangman” certainly has the chops to play spoiler on enemy soil.

Stick with Mania for ongoing UFC Paris fight card news and coverage.