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Live, blow-by-blow updates for today’s UFC event in Vegas on ESPN and ESPN+, which features a lightweight tilt on top.
Join us today on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion, round scoring, and full play-by-play (main card) as UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs. Hooker goes down in UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
The headliner comes in the lightweight division, with Dustin Poirier making his return against a streaking Dan Hooker. The co-main will see the enigmatic Mike Perry facing off with Mickey Gall.
This is an ESPN show and is kicking off slightly earlier than usual. The four-fight preliminary card is scheduled to start at 6pm ET/3pm PT. There will be a stream on ESPN+ as well. The six-fight main card will kick off at 8pm ET/5pm PT on ESPN and ESPN+.
Round 1 – Body kicks from both men. Hooker with a nice left hook. Inside low kicks from Hooker. Poirier with a right. Poirier catches a kick but can’t do anything with it. Another hard inside leg kick that Poirier definitely felt. Hooker lands to the cup, but they don’t stop. Wow, he just did it again, but Poirier again just waved him in. And actually said “listen to Bisping” after Bisping said that’s what cups are for. Lol. Hooker with another left hook, Poirier with a left and he gets a body lock. Left hook again from Hooker. Body kick from Poirier, and again. Poirier with a nice counter right. A huge right again! He gets a brief Thai clinch and lands a hard knee. Hooker fights back inside though with his own knee. Some phone booth fighting now, both landing big shots in close. Poirier checks a kick. Hooker goes to the body. Another body kick from Poirier. Counter left from Poirier. Jab, and a right over the top. Good, close round. 10-9 Hooker.
Round 2 – Hooker with a hard body kick, and a jab. Inside leg kick. Knee from Hooker. Two right hooks stun Hooker! But he fires back with a hard shot that stuns Poirier! Poirier catches a knee attempt and he’s beating him up against the fence. Hooker circles out and lands a huge combo! He misses with the next three. Hooker lights Poirier up now! Poirier fires right back! THIS IS AWESOME! Knee from Hooker again. Body work from Poirier. Hooker with a check hook. Body kick from Poirier. Front kick from Hooker. Uppercut from Poirier. Jab and a hard right from Hooker. Poirier with a left and he clinches. Inside leg kick from Hooker. Combo from Poirier. Hard body kick from Poirier. Hooker is cut. Poirier lands a hard left to the nose. Poirier is bleeding now too it looks like. Right hook by Poirier. Hooker misses with the knee but follows it with a hard left hook. He goes to the body too. Body work from both men. Another combo from Hooker. Just non-stop action. Poirier with a huge combo! Now Hooker with a huge combo! I can barely keep up. Body shot and a left from Hooker! Poirier with a huge counter! Hooker with a massive combo and a knee to the horn! HOLY HELL that might be the best round I’ve seen in five years. I can’t breathe. 10-9 Poirier I guess?
Round 3 – Front kick from Hooker. Poirier with a body kick. Inside leg kick from Hooker, counter hook from Poirier. Poirier with a right over the top. They trade jabs. Counter left from Poirier. Poirier with three big shots! Body kick from Poirier. Hooker’s mouthpiece comes out briefly. Jab from Poirier. Hooker shoots in and gets a takedown, but Poirier locks up a guillotine! That looks really tight, but somehow Hooker got his head out! Poirier looks for a triangle but Hooker shuts that down. Two minutes to go. Hooker is trying to get something going on top but Poirier keeps threatening with sub attempts. Few punches from Hooker. Poirier gets up to a seated position, and gets up. Hooker with a nice knee on the way up though. Poirier with three huge shots inside! Hooker with a left. Straight left from Poirier. They trade jabs. 10-9 Poirier.
Round 4 – Poirier with a right jab, then the left. Hooker with a counter jab. Two jabs from Poirier. Body kick from Poirier but Hooker caught it and took him down. Poirier got up, but Hooker chased him and jumped on his back. Packpack time, for a bit. Poirier tries to hit a switch but can’t. The second time, it works and they reset. Hooker shoots again and gets Poirier down. Poirier pushes him off and spins away. Poirier with a takedown now. He’s got the legs grapevined and he’s sliding up into mount. Hooker gives up his back but eats a ton of punches! Hooker is just turtling. Poirier stands up and tries to take his back, but slides off. He secures an armbar! It’s not fully in. Oh now it’s gnarly! Hooker steps over and Poirier turns it into an omoplata. He lands some hammerfists to the side of Hooker’s head. Hooker finally pulls his arm out with 45 seconds to go and he’s on Poirier ow. Poirier gets up, and drops for a guillotine again. Hooker again gets his head out and is landing a few punches to the body and head. 10-9 Poirier.
Round 5 – Poirier with a right over the top. He misses with a home run right hook. Jab from Poirier. Front kick from Hooker. Hooker with a left hook. They have less on their shots now, which is completely understandable. Front kick from Hooker lands to the cup again. Poirier just keeps going. Jab from Poirier. Right hook from Hooker. Hooker with a left hook now. They trade jabs. Hard right from Poirier, and he defends against a takedown attempt. Uppercut from Poirier. Hard left and a big right from Poirier! Hooker with a body shot and he shoots in. He scoops Poirier up and throws him to the floor. Poirier scoots to the fence in a seated position and tries to get up. Hooker is on his back. Poirier spins out and they trade inside. 90 seconds to go. Poirier with a straight left. Hooker looks for two takedowns. Neither happen. Poirier with an uppercut inside. Poirier with two hard rights. Poirier lands again as Hooker shoots. Poirier ends up on top, leaning on Hooker against the fence. What. A Fight. 10-9 and 49-46 Poirier.
Dustin Poirier defeated Dan Hooker by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-46)
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Mike Perry vs. Mickey Gall
Round 1 – Perry comes out swinging. Gall with a right. Inside leg kick. Perry presses and misses. Inside leg kick from Gall. Body kick from Perry. Gall with a right. Gall with a counter shot and hard body kick. Perry clinches. Gall with a knee to the body. Gall with a straight right. Another. Low kick from Gall. Left from Gall. Perry with a huge right hook. They trade rights. Inside leg kick from Perry. Straight right from Gall. Jab. Perry slams Gall to the mat. He’s got one hook and back control. One minute to go. Perry rolls and he’s in high half, trying to pull his leg out to get to mount. Perry backs out. 10-9 Gall.
Round 2 – Gall with jabs. Counter right hook from gall. He shoots in on a single but Perry somehow defends. Perry gets a takedown of his own. Gall is looking for a guillotine. Gall looks for a triangle. Perry clubs him in the face with a punch. Now Gall is looking for a kimura. He uses it to sweep and get back up. He’s got a front headlock. They battle on the fence. Elnow from Gall and he’s on Perry’s legs. Perry defends the takedown again though. Gall with a long right. Gall with a hard right again. Perry with a right. Another right drops Gall! Perry drops into side, and mount. Two big elbows! The horn may have saved Gall. 10-9 Perry.
Round 3 – Inside leg kick from Perry. Perry with an uppercut. He lands to the body. Low kick. Gall with a hard jab. Perry with a right and a jab. Perry with another huge right, and a jab. Gall is tiring. Right from Gall. Two more lefts from Gall. High kick and hard punches from Perry. He gets a body lock on Gall and drags him to the floor. He’s working in half. 90 seconds to go. Perry gets a crucifix. Short punches. He drags Gall into the center and mounts him with a minute to go. Elbows. Gall uses momentum to get Perry off of him, but he didn’t get up. Now he secures a triangle! Perry defends. 10-9 and 29-28 Perry.
Mike Perry defeated Mickey Gall via unanimous decision (29-28, 29
Gian Villante vs. Maurice Greene
Round 1 – Greene with a variety of early kicks. Front kick to the Villante’s ample belly. Low kick from Villante. Greene with an elbow. Front kick from Greene, and a low kick. Another. Side kick that lands to the cup of Villante. Cornuts cam confirms. Leg kick from Greene on the restart. Villante with a leg kick. Villante looks for a head kick but nothing there. Greene with a head kick that was blocked but it staggered Villante a bit. Inside leg kick from Villante. Hard outside leg kick from Greene. Villante with a hard kick. Greene backed off after it. Villante trying to counter now. More low kicks. 10-9 Greene.
Round 2 – Villante thinks he broke a toe. Not much happening here. Greene with a combo but Villante catches him with a counter. Low kick from Greene. Jab. Nice uppercut and a knee from Greene. He’s turning it up. Back to the jab. Villante lands a right. Greene misses with a home run punch. Front kick from Greene. Hard outside leg kick from Villante. Another one. Jabs from Villante. Body kick. They both land right hooks. Low kick from Greene. Right over the top from Greene. Villante with another heavy leg kick. Villante with a head kick that partially lands. Greene with a jab. Inside leg kick from Villante. Left lands for Villante, but he misses with a winging right. Greene jabbing. Counter left from Villante. Low kick from Villante. Oblique kick from Greene. Greene with a right. Close round. 10-9 Villante.
Round 3 – Knee to the body from Greene. Villante with a right that stuns Greene briefly. Another. Jab from Greene. Eye poke from Greene, and Villante needs a minute. Greene is warned and they restart. Low kick from Greene. Greene misses with a superman punch and gets dropped by a counter left! Villante jumps on with a barrage of punches and elbows. Another elbow. Wow. Greene is holding on, but barely. Villante is in mount against the cage. Greene manages to tie up one of his arms. Halfway through the round. Not much happening. Greene isn’t really doing anything but squeezing onto Villante. WOW VILLANTE TAPPED OUT OF NOWHERE! It was sort of an Ezekiel choke. I really have no idea.
Maurice Greene defeated Gian Villante via submission (arm triangle choke), 3:44 of round 3
Kyle Daukaus vs. Brendan Allen
Round 1 – Daukaus with a huge body kick right away. He lands a left. Short elbow from Daukaus. Another body kick. Allen looks for a takedown but can’t get it. Huge knee from Allen drops Daukaus! Allen is in mount. Huge elbow. He’s looking for a choke. Daukaus defending. He’s belly down though. Allen opens up with punches. Choke attempt again. He settles for back control. Daukaus explodes and rolls into his guard. They’re up, and Daukaus is looking for the takedown now. He’s on Allen’s back. Daukaus trying to sink a hook but can’t. Allen almost reverses but Daukaus has back mount now. Allen rolls into guard. Elbow from Allen. Daukaus is cut. Tons of blood. Allen trying to land a few more punches. 10-9 Allen.
Round 2 – Allen goes to the body. Daukaus with a left. Leg kicks from Allen. Left from Allen. Combo from Daukaus. Nice right from Daukaus. Another Daukaus with a takedow but Allen reverses. Allen with an elbow. Daukaus is able to reverse. He’s in half with two minutes to go. Daukaus postures up with some GnP. Allen gets full guard bak. Allen uses an omoplata to reverse. Another hard elbow from Allen. Oooh Allen lands a right after the bell that knocks down Daukaus. That looked late. 10-9 Allen.
Round 3 – Combo from Daukaus. He’s looking for a takedown. He gets it. Elbow from Daukaus. He’s in side. Allen’s eye is hurt. Daukaus gets back mount. Body triangle. Allen’s eye is shut. Daukaus is hunting for a choke. Allen is hand fighting well. Daukaus trying to soften him up with punches. One minute to go. Daukaus is still looking. Allen finally spins and takes the top. He’s trying to land some punches. 10-9 Daukaus but 29-28 Allen.
Brendan Allen defeated Kyle Daukaus via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 30-27)
Round 1 – Jab from Sato. Outside leg kick from Witt, and a body shot. Sato drops Witt with a straight left! Witt is up to his knees, but Sato flattens him again a few seconds later! Punches from the side from Sato and the ref steps in. Great performance.
Takashi Sato defeated Jason Witt via TKO (strikes), :48 of round 1
Round 1 – Woodson with a jab and right hook immediately. Another jab. Inside leg kick from Erosa. He misses with a spinning back fist. Combo from Woodson. Short right hook from Woodson, and another. Outside leg kick from Erosa. Low kick from Woodson. Hard straight left from Woodson. Outside leg kick from Woodson. Another jab, and a right. Inside leg kick from Erosa. Erosa eats a few jabs. Low kick from Woodson. Erosa with a weak takedown attempt. Erosa inside with a couple of rights and a knee. Hard right from Woodson. Erosa backs him into the fence, but doesn’t stay there long. Erosa to the body. More jabs from Woodson. Short uppercut from Erosa. He slips. 10-9 Woodson.
Round 2 – Right from Woodson. Leg kick from Erosa. Erosa tries to tie him up. Two rights from Erosa. Woodson tees off. Erosa lands two shots as Woodson scores with a low kick. Jabs from Woodson. Kneess to the body from Erosa. Left from Erosa. Uppercut and a low kick from Woodson. Erosa tags him back. Left from Woodson. Hard right, and a double jab. Front kick from Erosa a bit low, but they keep going. Hard body shot from Erosa. He scores with a left and a body kick. Spinning kick from Woodson. Erosa ties him up and lands a knee. left and body shot from Erosa, but eats a counter. Woodson lands three shots, but Erosa throwing right back. Hard jab from Woodson. Body work from Erosa. Straight right from Erosa. Left from Woodson. Counter left as well. Close round. 10-9 Erosa.
Round 3 – Erosa with an uppercut. Sliding low kick from Erosa. Spinning back kick from Woodson. Huge counter combo from Woodson drops Erosa! Erosa goes for a leg lock, gets up, and hits a jump knee. Left from Erosa. Woodson with a left. Another combo from Woodson. Hard left and low kick from Erosa. Erosa with a body lock, looking for a takedown. He can’t get it. Woodson with two lefts. Erosa gets a takedown, but Woodson is up right away. He’s ragdolled back down and Erosa secures a choke. Woodson taps! WOW!
Julian Erosa defeated Sean Woodson via submission (D’Arce choke), 2:44 of round 3
Preliminary card
Khama Worthy defeated Luis Pena via submission (guillotine choke), 2:53 of round 3
Tanner Boser defeated Philipe Lins via KO (strikes), 2:41 of round 1
Kay Hansen defeated Jinh Yu Frey via submission (triangle armbar), 2:26 of round 3
Youssef Zalal defeated Jordan Griffin via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)