Dan Hooker commitment to UFC 266

lol normal Visas are invalid, you need top apply to the embassy (US in this case) and get special permission to travel
Dan had been calling them everyday for weeks, no response. Had to reach out on social media to see if any could pull any strings.

That isn't accurate. Air travel into the US is allowed at several hub airports around the country without any kind of special clearance. He wasn't getting any response from the offices because they were closed during the latest lockdowns, but he should have applied for his renewal at a minimum 6 months ago.
 
So here in NZ we are in lockdown because of another covid outbreak
A couple of weeks ago Dan's training camp got broken up because they where breaking lockdown rules.
Since then hes been training by himself at home. Not the greatest prep for a fight that he really needs to win to get back into the mix.

Also because of covid, its been super hard to get a Visa. Last night weren't even sure Dan could make it over. Would actually have been a blessing in disguise if he couldn't as his fight prep hasn't been the best obviously.

https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021...icly-requests-visa-approval-covid-19-lockdown

However this morning with Visa approved, he announced a fn crazy timeline he is on to ensure he makes this fight.

- Fly out Thursday night (cut weight on the plane)
- Arrive Vegas Friday morning and weigh in
- Fight Saturday

New Zealand to Vega is a 16 hour flight and a NZ is on a 19 hour time difference.

So yeah, he's gonna be up against it.

Fuck. I put a big bet on hooker
 
Meanwhile usa everywhere is jam packed
 
That isn't accurate. Air travel into the US is allowed at several hub airports around the country without any kind of special clearance. He wasn't getting any response from the offices because they were closed during the latest lockdowns, but he should have applied for his renewal at a minimum 6 months ago.

I don't think you understand how visas work.
 
He already had either a P or O visa because he's fought in the United States several times as recently as June of last year. Obviously I don't know when he applied for his first visa or when it expired, but like I said those visas are good for I think 3 years and they can be extended up to 5 years without having to renew the visa. He's been under contract with a US based promoter that entire time, they should have petitioned to either extend or renew his visa well in advance of it expiring. Maybe the wait times are more ludicrous than I'm aware of for visas from NZ, but there's no way this should have come down to the last couple weeks to get resolved.
 
He already had either a P or O visa because he's fought in the United States several times as recently as June of last year. Obviously I don't know when he applied for his first visa or when it expired, but like I said those visas are good for I think 3 years and they can be extended up to 5 years without having to renew the visa. He's been under contract with a US based promoter that entire time, they should have petitioned to either extend or renew his visa well in advance of it expiring. Maybe the wait times are more ludicrous than I'm aware of for visas from NZ, but there's no way this should have come down to the last couple weeks to get resolved.

Nah, you get short-term visas based on your employment offer. You can't just come and go whenever you want for the next few years and work whenever you want based on a temporary work visa for one night. You certainly can't renew it on the off chance that you might be back in a few months. UFC fighters are not UFC employees. His new visa would be dependant on his fight contract (and supporting documentation) which he only sorted a few weeks ago.

This would be true for most countries but the US is particularly anal with this sort of stuff.
 
They have already publicly given up on vaccines stopping transmission of covid. Now they just prevent serious cases. This shit is endemic now.. Not sure what Australia/NZ are waiting for
 
Nah, you get short-term visas based on your employment offer. You can't just come and go whenever you want for the next few years and work whenever you want based on a temporary work visa for one night. You certainly can't renew it on the off chance that you might be back in a few months. UFC fighters are not UFC employees. His new visa would be dependant on his fight contract (and supporting documentation) which he only sorted a few weeks ago.

This would be true for most countries but the US is particularly anal with this sort of stuff.
You're correct that he can't just come and go as he pleases. He would need that bout agreement and other supporting documents to get his I-94 and physically enter the country, but he should have been able to get his visa renewed regardless. P and O visas are multi use,, the visa is good for 3 to 5 years but each entry he would be admitted for the time necessary based on his bout agreement/promotional requirements or whatever else his petitioning employer is asking for.
 
It's usually 5 to 7 business days for approval. He's been trying to contact them for 2 weeks in regards to it. Meaning he probably had it filled quite some time before 2 weeks ago.

War the hangman.
 
It's usually 5 to 7 business days for approval. He's been trying to contact them for 2 weeks in regards to it. Meaning he probably had it filled quite some time before 2 weeks ago.

War the hangman.
That processing time can vary wildly depending on whether he needed a renewal or an extension and which office was processing his paperwork, all of which is information we don't really have.

Agreed though, war Hangman
 
your government locked you down so hard that you have no immunity and they’re terrified to unlock because your first outbreak is coming as soon as they do.
Maybe you guys like it but it looks horrendous, I hope you get free soon
I can't believe people still don't understand lockdowns don't work. You don't quarantine healthy people, only the sick, old and very vulnerable (obese etc..) if absolutely necessary. Look at Sweden, they never locked down and they did ok. They lost many people in nursing homes (over 50% were nursing home deaths) and the median age of covid death in Sweden is approximately 84 years old. The middle aged and younger people did just fine and they never closed schools for children under 16. Australia won't be free anytime soon, they are a mess over there.
 
You think China really has only 95,000 cases in the entire country?

However, if every country did the same thing for 2-3 weeks, complete lockdown, nobody would be able to transmit the virus. But that will never happen.
Virus dont just disappear after 2-3 weeks. Y'all need a proper lockdown for a year or more. Sorry businesses. But the govt fucked up and now are punishing ppl with these rushed vaccines and limiting people to use certain establishments. It is what it is, I care about my health so I won't inject myself with something without long term studies, hell it can make you dumber for crise sake, and I actually believe it made a lot of ppl dumber that took it.
 
I can't believe people still don't understand lockdowns don't work. You don't quarantine healthy people, only the sick, old and very vulnerable (obese etc..) if absolutely necessary. Look at Sweden, they never locked down and they did ok. They lost many people in nursing homes (over 50% were nursing home deaths) and the median age of covid death in Sweden is approximately 84 years old. The middle aged and younger people did just fine and they never closed schools for children under 16. Australia won't be free anytime soon, they are a mess over there.

I'm Australian and free as a bird mate. Literally had one lock down...3 days.. 1 weekend of mask mandate ( 3 days ) my states had 7 deaths all pandemic. Only 5.5 million people in my state sure.... our weekly average this week is..... 3 cases.. we still had crowds of 55 thousand at sporting events in the middle of the pandemic... we still have crowds going to the footy lol.

Proper lockdowns and quarantines work... sorry.. not only that they work far more effectively than the bloody vaccine..

It's like if I used new York and went omg all Americans are x..
 
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Virus dont just disappear after 2-3 weeks. Y'all need a proper lockdown for a year or more. Sorry businesses. But the govt fucked up and now are punishing ppl with these rushed vaccines and limiting people to use certain establishments. It is what it is, I care about my health so I won't inject myself with something without long term studies, hell it can make you dumber for crise sake, and I actually believe it made a lot of ppl dumber that took it.


I can't believe people still don't understand lockdowns don't work. You don't quarantine healthy people, only the sick, old and very vulnerable (obese etc..) if absolutely necessary. Look at Sweden, they never locked down and they did ok. They lost many people in nursing homes (over 50% were nursing home deaths) and the median age of covid death in Sweden is approximately 84 years old. The middle aged and younger people did just fine and they never closed schools for children under 16. Australia won't be free anytime soon, they are a mess over there.
Sweden population... 10.23 million... Sweden covid deaths .. 14 753

Australia population... 25.36 million..
Australia covid deaths....1138

Sweden vaccinated % 61.9
Australia vaccinated % 36.6

Omg it's like lockdowns and quarantines work.... lol ffs
 
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