Dan Hooker’s wife, Isabella Hooker, has been the quiet constant in the UFC star’s chaotic life for nearly a decade. She married him in a beach ceremony in Thailand in 2016, raised their daughter Zoey while he fought on the other side of the world, and stood by him through brutal losses and career-threatening injuries. But in early 2026, the Hooker marriage became the center of an ugly public scandal that neither of them could control. Here’s what we actually know about Isabella Hooker, the woman behind “The Hangman.”
Who Is Isabella Hooker?
Isabella Hooker is the wife of UFC lightweight contender Dan Hooker. She has largely stayed out of the public eye, maintaining a low profile while her husband built a reputation as one of the most entertaining and violent fighters on the UFC roster.
She reportedly works as a yoga instructor. While concrete details about her professional life are limited, her social media presence gives glimpses into a life centered on family, wellness, and supporting her husband’s demanding career.
How Dan Hooker Met His Wife
Details about how Dan and Isabella first met are scarce. What is known is that they were in a long-term relationship before they tied the knot in 2016. Their wedding was an intimate celebration held in Phuket, Thailand, attended by close family and friends.
The choice of location wasn’t random. New Zealand fighters frequently train and travel through Southeast Asia, and the tropical setting suited a couple that had already built a life around the unpredictable rhythms of a fighting career.
The Birth of Their Daughter Zoey
Dan and Isabella welcomed their daughter, Zoey, in November 2018. For Hooker, becoming a father changed everything. He’s spoken openly about how fatherhood reshaped his priorities and his understanding of what he was fighting for.
Zoey became a fixture on Hooker’s social media, with the UFC star sharing candid moments of their life together. But the COVID-19 pandemic created a painful separation that Hooker has described as one of the hardest chapters of his life.
The COVID Separation That Broke Him
When Hooker traveled to Abu Dhabi to fight Dustin Poirier in 2020, the world was in lockdown. His daughter was too young to understand where he had gone. The separation stretched close to two months.
Hooker later told 7NEWS about the moment that shattered him: “After I landed, my wife sent me videos of my daughter walking around the house with her arms out asking, ‘Where’s daddy?’”
He had to tell Isabella to stop sending videos. “That was heartbreaking,” he admitted.
Through it all, Isabella held the family together. As Hooker recounted, she told him: “You should enjoy the fact that you get to travel and go and do what you love.”
The Infidelity Allegations That Shook Their Marriage
In February 2026, the Hooker marriage became international news for all the wrong reasons. An influencer named Keekgrace accused Dan Hooker of a two-year affair, claiming that Isabella was fully aware of the arrangement and maintained a cordial relationship with her throughout.
The allegations came with receipts. Keekgrace posted a handwritten love letter that Hooker allegedly wrote to her, reading: “To my love, Keeks. I have loved you since the moment I first saw you. We have a connection that no one in the world can break. I want you in my life until we are old and grey.”
She also posted a video of Hooker sleeping on her couch, taking his phone to show his wallpaper as proof.
Isabella Hooker’s Public Response
Isabella broke her silence amid the storm, publicly expressing her frustration about the alleged affairs on social media. While she didn’t issue a formal statement, her reaction added fuel to the controversy that was already consuming the MMA community.
The situation escalated further when Hooker’s father-in-law—Isabella’s father—issued a public threat against the fighter, calling him a “piece of s***” in a message that went viral. The family’s pain was on full display for the world to see.
Dan Hooker’s Response: Calling Her a “Side Chick”
Hooker’s response to the allegations didn’t help his case. On Instagram, he posted a photo with the caption: “Me holding my family close after my side chick tried to tear us apart.”
The move was widely criticized. Instead of denying the allegations, Hooker appeared to minimize the woman’s claims while painting himself as the loyal family man who had been targeted. When Keekgrace had handwritten letters and videos, the “side chick” narrative fell apart quickly in the court of public opinion.
Isabella’s Quiet Strength Through the Chaos
Despite the public humiliation, Isabella Hooker has remained largely silent. She and Dan still follow each other on social media, and in January 2026—just weeks before the allegations exploded—she and their daughter Zoey attended Hooker’s fight at UFC 325 in Sydney.
That detail speaks volumes. Whatever is happening behind closed doors, Isabella has continued to show up for her husband at his fights, even as their personal life becomes tabloid fodder.
Dan Hooker’s Career Struggles Amid the Personal Turmoil
The timing of the scandal couldn’t have been worse for Hooker’s career. He entered 2026 on a three-fight losing streak, having been submitted by Arman Tsarukyan in November 2025 and then knocked out by Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 325 in January 2026.
He then suffered a first-round TKO loss to UFC debutant Salahdine Parnasse at UFC Paris in September 2026, dropping his professional record to 24-15. The man who once fought for the UFC lightweight title picture now finds himself fighting to stay relevant in a division that has passed him by.
Hooker has admitted that the sport has taken a toll. “Once I finish this stupid career, I’d actually like to make some money, get into business and investment,” he said. “Had I invested all of that time into creating a business or focusing on investments, I would be far richer and less brain-damaged.”
What the Future Holds for the Hookers
Dan Hooker and Isabella Hooker have been together for nearly a decade. They’ve weathered COVID separations, career-defining losses, and the brutal physical toll of a life inside the cage. Whether their marriage survives the infidelity scandal remains to be seen.
What is clear is that Isabella Hooker has been far more than a footnote in her husband’s story. She’s been the anchor through his darkest moments, the voice telling him to keep going, and the mother holding the family together while he chased his dreams on the other side of the world.
For a man known as “The Hangman,” it’s been Isabella who has held the rope. Whether she keeps holding it is now the question that neither of them has answered publicly.
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