Chael Sonnen loved the action that he saw from Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker.
MMA fans were in for a treat this past Saturday night (June 27). Poirier and Hooker shared the Octagon in the main event of UFC on ESPN 12. The bout featured five rounds of thrilling action that left both men battered. When the dust settled, it was Poirier who earned the victory via unanimous decision. “The Diamond’s” strong showing in the final round sealed the deal.
Chael Sonnen In Awe Of Dustin Poirier vs. Dan Hooker
Sonnen had his eyes glued to the television when Poirier and Hooker traded leather. The second round in particular is one that Sonnen is likely to remember for some time. He took to his YouTube channel to gush over the performances from both Poirier and Hooker (h/t BJPenn.com).
“Where do we begin to break down Hooker vs. Poirier? Look, this thing took some twists and some turns. Guys, (Marvin) Hagler and (Thomas) Hearns fought for the first time in 1985. You have to go back to 1985 to find a round in combat as good as Hooker vs. Poirier round two. Greatest round I’ve ever witnessed,” Sonnen said.
Sonnen went on to say that he feels the lightweight division may be the toughest weight class in MMA history at this moment. With “killers” such as champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, interim title holder Justin Gaethje, Conor McGregor, Tony Ferguson, Poirier, and Hooker, it’s hard to argue.
With the victory over Hooker, Poirier improves his pro MMA record to 26-6, 1 NC. He has gone 6-1, 1 NC in his last eight outings. Hooker falls to 20-9.
To no one’s surprise, Poirier and Hooker earned “Fight of the Night” bonuses. Many feel the bout is a solid contender for “Fight of the Year” along with Weili Zhang vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Josh Emmett vs. Shane Burgos.
