Dariush Doesn’t Want To Pay Tax On Hooker

Dan Hooker has two demands for his next fight: Beneil Dariush and UFC 305.

“The Hangman” has been campaigning to battle the No. 7-ranked lightweight contender, promising to decapitate Dariush en route to another run at the 155-pound title — since “chinless scumbags” like Renato Moicano won’t sign on the dotted line.

“They were saying, ‘You can wait around and get Beneil Dariush on this card,’ but it’s like bro, can you imagine if it’s at the APEX or something — I’d rather shoot myself in the foot than fight at the APEX,” Hooker said on YouTube. “It’s boring, it’s not why I do it. I do it because I love walking out there in front of 10, 20, 30 thousand people and getting that excitement from the fans.”

Sounds like the UFC 305 card in Perth would be the least attractive option for Dariush.

“Maybe we end up doing it in Australia, I love Australia except for the fact that they’re going to tax me like no other, so maybe not,” Dariush told Helen Yee. “Maybe we do it in Vegas or we do it somewhere else where we don’t get taxed. The Sphere in September, that would actually be way better, I think, because bro, I’m not trying to pay whatever tax amount it is … I think it’s like 20 percent. I don’t remember exactly but it’s something stupid.”

Maybe the Aussies took a few pages from the “Golden State” playbook.

“I don’t know about Dan, but I want to keep my money, so preferably somewhere like [Las] Vegas,” Dariush continued. “Australia just takes it right off the top of your check, it’s like you take a knife and stab it in the heart. It’s kinda like that, there’s your paycheck. I prefer not to do Australia just because of that. At the same time, I do love Australia. I wouldn’t hate it, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.”

Hopefully matchmakers can get this one signed, regardless of location.