Tag: Paul Felder

Paul Felder Insists He’ll Only Return For Big Fights

Paul FelderLightweight contender Paul Felder has said he’ll continue competing in MMA but only if he’s offered big fights. ‘The Irish Dragon’ shocked fight fans when he appeared to announce his retirement in the cage post-fight at UFC Auckland. Felder had just suffered a highly debated split decision loss to local fighter Dan Hooker. The 35-year-old […]

Paul Felder

Lightweight
contender Paul Felder has said he’ll continue competing in MMA but only if he’s
offered big fights.

‘The Irish Dragon’ shocked fight fans when he appeared to announce his retirement in the cage post-fight at UFC Auckland. Felder had just suffered a highly debated split decision loss to local fighter Dan Hooker.

The 35-year-old admits to getting a little too emotional after the fight and assured fights fans as long as the right opponents are offered to him he’ll be back fighting in the near future. Speaking on The Ariel Helwani MMA Show, he said.

“I
think at this point it’s safe to say I’m only coming back for things that
really entice me man. Things that make me train the way I did for this fight –
five rounds fights, big huge fights with somebody who excites me. Other than that,
I’ll just do commentary and wait for that match-up.”

Helwani
the proceeds to ask Felder if he truly believes fight fans have seen the last
of him inside the octagon. To which he empathically responded no and proceeded
to map out future opponents and potential card positions.

No. Obviously if something was to happen with one of these guys in the top five and they can’t get matched up the way the UFC wants them to match up. There has been some talk of Al Iaquinta wanting to fight me. You give me a five rounder with him and a big fight night or a rematch with Hooker, which will never happen but obviously that is one I’d take to get it back. Any of the top five, Al Iaquinta is a fun fight just because that fight was supposed to happen three different times and it never quite did and he has mentioned he wants it.  It would have to be a main event somewhere to make me even want to do that fight. I’m not coming back for the last fight on the prelims or even like the second fight of a pay-per-view.”

Who would you like to see Paul Felder fight next?

Duke Roufus Says Paul Felder ‘Lost $82,000 Because Of The Judges’ At UFC Auckland

Duke Roufus is not a fan of the judges that scored the UFC Auckland main event clash between Dan Hooker and Paul Felder. When the fight ended, the media were torn on who had won as it was a very close. But, in the end, it was Hooker who edged out a spl…

Duke Roufus is not a fan of the judges that scored the UFC Auckland main event clash between Dan Hooker and Paul Felder. When the fight ended, the media were torn on who had won as it was a very close. But, in the end, it was Hooker who edged out a split-decision win. For […]

The post Duke Roufus Says Paul Felder ‘Lost $82,000 Because Of The Judges’ At UFC Auckland appeared first on MMA News.

‘Big’ John McCarthy Says Dan Hooker’s Win Over Paul Felder Was No Robbery

Former referee and current Bellator color commentator “Big” John McCarthy doesn’t believe Dan Hooker’s win over Paul Felder was a robbery. This past Saturday night (Feb. 22), Hooker and Felder collided in the main event of UFC A…

Former referee and current Bellator color commentator “Big” John McCarthy doesn’t believe Dan Hooker’s win over Paul Felder was a robbery. This past Saturday night (Feb. 22), Hooker and Felder collided in the main event of UFC Auckland. Both men put on a show as expected for five rounds. In the end, it was Hooker […]

The post ‘Big’ John McCarthy Says Dan Hooker’s Win Over Paul Felder Was No Robbery appeared first on MMA News.

Dan Hooker Believes He Beat Paul Felder Four Rounds To One

Dan HookerLightweight contender Dan Hooker picked up the biggest win of career at UFC Auckland this past weekend. The hometown fighter got a split decision verdict over Paul Felder in his hometown. Both men put on one hell of show, going back-and-forth for five rounds. When the final bell rang it really was anyone’s guess who […]

Dan Hooker

Lightweight contender Dan Hooker picked up the biggest win of career at UFC Auckland this past weekend. The hometown fighter got a split decision verdict over Paul Felder in his hometown.

Both men put on one hell of show, going back-and-forth for five rounds. When the final bell rang it really was anyone’s guess who had done enough to emerge victorious. In the end it was the 30-year-old New Zealander who got the favourable scorecards, something he was always confident of getting after putting in such a performance. Speaking on The Ariel Helwani MMA Show, he said.

“I’ve watched it a few times. I’m pretty comfortable that I got the win. I thought I won the first, second, third and the fifth round. So, I’m confident I won the majority of that fight…I thought it was pretty clear.”

In the aftermath of the fight there has been some controversary surrounding the decision. Many fight fans and pundits believe ‘The Irish Dragon’ Felder did enough to earn a decision. Hooker has seen the reaction and doesn’t seem at all fazed about the backlash he is receiving right now.  

“Everyone is entitled to their own opinions you know. So, Ariel listen this is the first time I’ve ever won a split decision, this is the first time I’ve ever won a decision that’s been questioned so this is all new to me.”

After winning
such a massive fight Hooker will likely enter the top five at lightweight in
the coming days. He can now look forward to potential matchups with the likes
of Dustin Poirier, Nate Diaz, Justin Gaethje, Tony Ferguson or Conor McGregor. One
more big win and Hooker will be knocking on the door for a title shot at 155lb
champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Did Dan
Hooker do enough to beat Paul Felder at UFC Auckland?

PHOTO: Paul Felder Reveals Facial Injury Suffered At UFC Auckland

Top lightweight contenders Paul Felder and Dan Hooker put on classic to at UFC Auckland. The main event match-up was the fight of the night, as both men threw down for five full rounds. Unfortunately for ‘The Irish Dragon’ Felder he was on the wrong side of the judge’s split decision verdict. Two of the […]

Top
lightweight contenders Paul Felder and Dan Hooker put on classic to at UFC
Auckland. The main event match-up was the fight of the night, as both men threw
down for five full rounds.

Unfortunately for ‘The Irish Dragon’ Felder he was on the wrong side of the judge’s split decision verdict. Two of the three cards read in favour of the hometown fighter Hooker.

Back-to-back wins for Felder over Edson Barbosa and James Vick had him on the verge of big things at lightweight. However this latest loss to the young New Zealander Hooker has Felder considering his future in MMA.

One look at his face post-fight and you can’t blame the tough 155lb’er for considering leaving the sport. Although his manger and coach have since claimed these claims are premature.

Check out the image taken from Felders’ Instagram after his main event war. In the same social media post Felder claims his face is broken and says he’ll likely be in hospital overnight. Despite his gruesome looking injuries the longtime 155lb contender found the fun in the situation, comparing his new appearance to American rapper Action Bronson.

Instagram – FelderPaul

If yesterday was the last time we see Felder inside the UFC octagon, he’s certainly been fun to watch to say the least. The 34-year-old holds high profile wins over the likes of Daron Cruickshank, Josh Burkman, Stevie Ray and Charles Oliveira.  

Should Paul Felder keep fighting after his UFC Auckland loss to Dan Hooker?