UFC on ESPN 12 free fight: Dan Hooker edges Paul Felder in grueling contest

Dan Hooker had to dig deep in the first five-round fight of his career.

Hooker (20-8 MMA, 10-4 UFC) faced Paul Felder in the main event of UFC on ESPN+ 26, in a battle that ended up delivering as expected.

In the first two rounds, Hooker was able to effectively fight from range, throwing hard calf kicks and pinpoint jabs, while Felder pressured, forcing Hooker to constantly be on his bike circling. Felder managed to land up top several times, but Hooker continued to chop away at his legs, hindering his movement.

Felder started to find success in Rounds 3 and 4, ramping up his output while continuing to pressure Hooker. He chained his combinations together well, tagging Hooker with jabs, hooks, leg kicks and liver shots, but Hooker was right there firing back.

In Round 5, Felder had Hooker on the back foot, cutting the cage and throwing big shots. Hooker changed levels, attempting to take Felder down but Felder was able to disengage.

But with just one minute remaining in the fight, Hooker landed a big takedown, maintaining control for the most part, which secured him the razor-close decision.

Hooker returns Saturday, when he faces Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC on ESPN 12.

Before he faces Poirier, relive Hooker’s back-and-forth war with Felder in the video above.