Hooker loses epic UFC bout
Dustin Poirier won a thrilling unanimous decision over New Zealand’s Dan Hooker, surviving a brutal second round and persevering to finish a well-rounded performance in the main event at the UFC’s corporate gym in Las Vegas yesterday.
Hooker fought the bout of his life but it wasn’t enough, as he eyed a potential progression to a world title fight.
In a gripping lightweight contest, Poirier got the decision over the brave Kiwi in the UFC main event.
The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47 and 48-46 in Poirier’s favour in a bout that went the distance over five five-minute rounds. Poirier was ranked the No 3 contender to Hooker’s No 5 heading into the fight.
The main event was a barn-burner from the opening round, with both lightweights trading wicked strikes and displaying minimal regard for defence.
The second round was a particular spectacle, with each fighter badly hurting the other while throwing punches and knees at full power.
The fight went to the ground in the fourth round, and Poirier attempted several submissions before Hooker escaped. Poirier appeared to have more energy left for the fifth round, and he won on all three cards.
‘‘It was a tough one,’’ Poirier said. ‘‘Dan came to fight. He’s a tough guy. He’s on the rise. He really thought he was going to get past me. I trusted in my team, in my skill and my work ethic.’’
Poirier (26-6) capped his long rise by beating Max Holloway in April 2019 for the interim lightweight title. He lost the belt to unbeaten champion Khabib Nurmagomedov last September, and a leg injury subsequently kept him out of the cage for the longest stretch of his career.
He was back in fine form against Hooker (20-9), the tough kickboxing star from New Zealand who had won seven of his last eight bouts since 2016.
Mike Perry also ended his two-fight skid with a one-sided unanimous decision over Mickey Gall in the penultimate fight of the UFC’s fifth consecutive fan-free event in its hometown.
Perry had lost five of his last seven fights, and his wild mixed martial arts career took another swerve in recent months when he split with his wife, separated from his coaches and decided that his girlfriend, Latory Gonzalez, would be the only person in his corner at this fight.
This latest Vegas show was stacked with impressive finishes and unusual results.
Heavyweight Maurice Greene stopped his two-fight skid with an unorthodox submission of Gian Villante, who was on top of Greene and apparently in control when Greene wrapped an arm around his head. Although Greene (9-4) didn’t have a traditional chokehold around Villante’s neck, an exhausted Villante was unable to move and tapped out with 1:16 left in the fight.
Japanese welterweight Takashi Sato produced one of the most impressive stoppages of the night, beating late replacement opponent Jason Witt with a flurry of strikes in just 48 seconds.