Nasrat Haqparast gets 11th hour U.S. visa approval for UFC 266 fight vs. Dan Hooker
After a whirlwind of emotions, Nasrat Haqparast vs. Dan Hooker is on for UFC 266.
Haqparast (13-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) is en route to Las Vegas from Germany after he obtained his U.S. visa Thursday morning.
“Passport and visa picked up Las Vegas we’re coming ! Weigh ins in 32 hours ! #UFC266″
Passport and visa picked up Las Vegas we’re coming ! Weigh ins in 32 hours ! #UFC266 pic.twitter.com/WTWNjSYB7y
— Nasrat Haqparast (@Nasrat_mma) September 23, 2021
“Thank you to the @ufc and all the people involving for my last minute visa ! Thank you to the @usconsfrankfurt and Consul General Scharpf and the visa unit. What a journey – I’m READY !!! Kickdown Las Vegas #UFC266 @AliAbdelaziz00 @seanshelby”
Thank you to the @ufc and all the people involving for my last minute visa ! Thank you to the @usconsfrankfurt and Consul General Scharpf and the visa unit. What a journey – I’m READY !!! Kickdown Las Vegas #UFC266 @AliAbdelaziz00 @seanshelby
— Nasrat Haqparast (@Nasrat_mma) September 23, 2021
Just days after Hooker (20-10 MMA, 10-6 UFC) made a public plea to the U.S. Embassy in New Zealand to expedite his visa process, Haqparast encountered the same problem and took a similar method by asking the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt, Germany, to approve his visa.
Both men were successful in their attempts and are expected to arrive in Las Vegass on Thursday, just hours before their Friday morning weigh-ins for the fight. Haqparast also has been dealing with the recent death of his mother, making fight week difficult for the 26-year-old.
Haqparast vs. Hooker currently is scheduled to take place on the preliminary card of Saturday’s pay-per-view event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.