Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight scrappers Dan Hooker and Ross Pearson threw down last night (June 10, 2017) at UFC Fight Night 110 inside Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand.
Though his results have been mixed, Hooker has been a consistently entertaining fighter in his six UFC bouts. This was an important showcase for the 27 year old combatant, as he could make an impact in his new division in front of his home crowd. Pearson has also struggled with consistency for some time, but he entered this bout having lost his previous three bouts. The pressure was on for him to make the most of this match up and return to the win column, as the Englishman couldn’t really afford another loss.
As expected, Hooker opened the fight a good deal of movement and low kicks, punting the boxer’s leg out from underneath him. Pearson showed some smart adjustments in return, faking takedowns and kicking, but he still found himself stuck at the end of the New Zealander’s jab and low kick.
In the boxing range, the exchanges were generally rather even, but Pearson had a really difficult time finding his way inside. While on the outside, Pearson’s leg took a ton of abuse, and Hooker’s kicks up the middle were finding a home as well.
Despite moving up from Featherweight, Hooker had a serious size advantage.
Pearson found some success with his left hand early in the second round, leaping in with long hooks and jabs. Hooker responded with his own jabs, but Pearson did a nice job of slipping and countering those strikes. After eating a good deal of shots in the first half of the round, Hooker began to find his range once again. Counter jabs and crosses began to find their mark, causing Pearson to really increase the aggression.
Unfortunately for the Brit, that lead to his demise.
As Pearson rolled inside — something he had been doing very well — Hooker waited for his opening. Pearson came out of the duck with a left hook, but his jaw was still low enough for Hooker to release a brutal knee up the middle.
Pearson’s mouthpiece went flying, and the fight was over instantly.
Outside of a slow start to the second round, Hooker really fought brilliantly. He showed flashes of using his range in his last bout, but he really built upon that here with a great jab and low kick. Those weapons allowed Hooker to really establish his timing, which eventually resulted in the massive knockout.
Hooker’s low kicks were huge in this bout. Not only did it throw the boxer off-balance, but Pearson was definitely moving with less athleticism in the second round. That touch of slowness made it easier for Hooker to land the kill shot, and all in all, the low kicks really set him up for success.
Furthermore, Lightweight is the correct division for “The Hangman,” as he was far larger than his opponent even despite the move up. Without having to cut as much weight, Hooker was able to maintain his pace without fatiguing as much.
Hooker is definitely a Lightweight to look out for moving forward.
As for Pearson, this may be the end of a long UFC run. It wouldn’t be unreasonable for him to receive another shot, but this is four straight losses capitalized with a big knockout defeat. Hopefully, his willingness to step up on short-notice will earn him that extra bit of leeway.
If this is the end, Pearson leaves behind a reputation of gameness. Over the years, Pearson has fought any and all comers, representing the United Kingdom and boxing well. He’s a true scrapper and Lightweight veteran, and having so many fights inside the Octagon is a definite accomplishment on its own.
Last night, Dan Hooker obliterated his opponent with a massive knee. Who should the New Zealand-native face next?
For complete UFC Fight Night 110: “Lewis vs Hunt” results and play-by-play, click HERE!