American Top Team coach Mike Brown feels that Dustin Poirier’s patience is what earned him the victory over Dan Hooker.
It’ll be talked about ad nauseam but simply put, Poirier vs. Hooker was a war. The two lightweights showed up to win this past Saturday night (June 27). Of course, only one fighter could emerge victorious on fight night and that was Poirier. “The Diamond” had a strong showing in the final round and was able to secure the unanimous decision win.
Coach Thinks Poirier’s Patience Got Him Win Over Hooker
Speaking to MMAFighting, Poirier’s coach Mike Brown discussed why he feels his fighter’s patience was key in outlasting “The Hangman.”
“Something we talked about was patience for sure,” Brown told MMA Fighting on Monday. “We know that Dustin is always going to be strong as the fight goes on and we knew Hooker tends to slow down. He showed it in past fights. He’s very good early but as he slows down, his defense gets a little bit worse and you’re able to hit him a little bit more. Where early on, when he’s full of energy, he’s able to use distance a little better and make you miss with those shots.”
Poirier will likely remain at the number three spot on the official UFC lightweight rankings once the latest update rolls out. As of now, he is only behind Tony Ferguson and interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje. Of course, there’s also the main 155-pound champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who submitted Poirier back in Sept. 2019.
During his post-fight interview with UFC play-by-play ace Jon Anik, Poirier said he needs to get back to the drawing board. While he’s happy to have beaten Dan Hooker, he feels there is room for improvement. But first, “The Diamond” said he wants to take some time to rest after a fierce battle.
