Fight Night 168 was an event that made you jump out of your seat with sentimental moments. Dan Hooker won by split decision, but it may have been a controversial victory since the fight took place in his hometown. Despite the potential scoring advantage, it seemed as though Paul Felder was the clear victor as he won three out of the five rounds. Since his face was damaged and his legs were swollen, these elements could have played a role in the judge’s scoring. Dan Hooker put on a spectacular fight in using his range as an advantage the whole fight, but he did get rocked a couple of times during the exhibition. Hooker achieved an amazing take down in the last round which really improved his score. Even with the astounding performance by the two competitors, what happened after the match shook the audience. Dan Hardy interviewed an emotional Felder as he stated, “That might be it for me”. The fans in Auckland roared with cheers after hearing the news. Felder then mentions his daughter and started to tear up as he began to take off his glove. With his career potentially concluding, Hooker comes in to raise Felder’s hand. For many that grew up watching him in their childhood, this moment touched the hearts of many who watched around the world. If Felder retires, he will go down as one of the greatest fighters to do it.
After this moment, Hardy goes up to interview Hooker and he called out Justin Gaethje for his next opponent. Gaethje has not fought since September of 2019 as he’s waiting for a shot at Conor McGregor. Hooker is going to be out for a while due to his war with Felder, which gives Gaetje time to decide if he wants to fight Hooker or hold off for more money with a fight against McGregor. UFC Fight Night 168 did not disappoint and gave a glimpse to future bouts in the UFC.
Photos by: Jasmin Frank-USA TODAY Sports
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