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Thoughts and analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC 257, including Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor, Michael Chandler and more.
What mattered most at UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi? Here are a few post-fight musings …
Dustin Poirier handed Conor McGregor his first knockout loss in MMA at #UFC257 and Michael Chandler made a memorable debut vs. Dan Hooker. Recap the action from Abu Dhabi with MMA Junkie’s John Morgan and Mike Bohn.
Dustin Poirier handed Conor McGregor his first knockout loss in MMA at #UFC257 and Michael Chandler made a memorable debut vs. Dan Hooker. Recap the action from Abu Dhabi with MMA Junkie’s John Morgan and Mike Bohn.
Dustin Poirier not interested in fighting Michael Chandler
Dustin Poirier not interested in fighting Michael Chandler
Four fantastic performances at UFC 257 got the bonus cash they deserved.
A memorable first UFC pay-per-view event of 2021 is in the books, and with it comes four post-fight bonus winners.
Post-fight bonuses come either one of two ways: A “Fight of the Night” and two “Performance of the Night” awards, or four “Performance of the Night” honors.
Saturday was one of the latter nights, and four competitors will go home with an extra $50,000 in their pockets: the lightweight winners at the top of the card, [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag], and two more main carders in [autotag]Makhmud Muradov[/autotag] and [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag].
UFC 257 took place Saturday at Etihad Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
Without further ado then, here is a look at all four bonus winners:
Statement made.
Much was made leading up to [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag]’s UFC debut – and when the time finally came, he delivered.
The former long-time Bellator lightweight champion, Chandler sent a big message to the UFC’s 155-pound division when he finished [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] with punches at 2:30 of Round 1.
Afterward, Chandler delivered a blistering promo calling out still-champion-but-retired Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, and Dustin Poirier.
Not a bad UFC debut for @MikeChandlerMMA 😳 #UFC257 pic.twitter.com/9PhUnKJx0g
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 24, 2021
From the opening bell, Chandler (22-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC) came out flying. Using a ton of pressure, Chandler threw kicks and punches, all the while stalking Hooker (20-10 MMA, 10-6 UFC). A powerful sequence stunned Hooker as the clock approached the midway point of the round. Hooker crumpled to the mat, and Chandler followed up with some more punches. That was all referee Marc Goddard needed to see.
Following the reading of the decision, Chandler took to the microphone and called the win the greatest moment of his professional career. But that wasn’t all as he issued the callout to the three top lightweights.
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The victory marks Chandler’s sixth win in seven fights, with his only loss in that stretch coming to Bellator dual champ Patricio Freire. Chandler now rides a three-fight winning streak.
Chandler, a three-time Bellator lightweight champion who fought for the promotion for a decade and served as one of its faces, made his highly anticipated UFC debut after signing with the promotion last September.
As for Hooker, the New Zealand-based fighter has lost back-to-back fights for the first time since 2010. Prior to the loss to Chandler, “The Hangman” came up short-handed in a unanimous decision defeat to Poirier last June.
The lightweight bout was the UFC 257 co-main event at Etihad Stadium in Abu Dhabi. It aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
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Up-to-the-minute UFC 257 results include:
See the top Twitter reactions to Michael Chandler’s victory against Dan Hooker in the UFC 257 co-main event.
[autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag]’s anticipated octagon debut was a success on Saturday when he beat [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] in the UFC 257 co-main event.
Chandler (22-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC), a former three time Bellator champion, made a triumphant transition to his new promotion when he beat a top lightweight contender in Hooke (20-10 MMA, 10-6 UFC) by first-round TKO in the co-headliner, which took place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Check below for the top Twitter reactions to Chandler’s victory over Hooker at UFC 257.
“I’ve been in some big events before, but this is by far the biggest one.”
ABU DHABI – [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag]’s first official UFC fight week is in the books.
The former Bellator lightweight champion has gone through all the protocols and duties required from a UFC fighter as he prepares for his promotional debut this Saturday against Dan Hooker in the co-main event of UFC 257. Chandler (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) had a test run in October when he served as a replacement opponent for the lightweight title fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. Although Chandler wasn’t needed, it was a good exercise and preparation for his debut.
Now, just hours away from fighting in the octagon for the first time, Chandler rates highly his first UFC fight week experience.
“It feels good, man. It’s all part of the process, and it’s something that I’ve done a lot in my career, but just not at this magnitude,” Chandler told MMA Junkie. “The weight came off great. Obviously the set up here on Yas Island is awesome. They roll out the red carpet for you, and it’s been a great experience. That first trip to Abu Dhabi served me well for this trip. I know all the staff now, familiar faces, putting names with faces, and it’s been a great week.”
Chandler has been on big stages outside of the UFC and has been a notable name for many years. Yet, despite being one of the most recognized fighters outside of the UFC, Chandler believes the attention has grown dramatically since he left Bellator to sign.
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“It’s definitely something I’ve been enjoying. I love media obligations,” Chandler said. “Every single time there’s a microphone near me, it’s with a purpose.
“I truly believe God has had me in the palm of his hand since I started fighting, and I relish these opportunities. I relish in the opportunities that I get to show the UFC staff I’m an easy guy to work with, that I’m a guy who’s willing to go above and beyond, and truthfully this is my platform.
“Eventually the microphones will go away. Eventually you wont be getting the media requests. And that, to me, is just a call to action to a lot of professional fighters, us, who get this great opportunity. So it’s been a lot. The UFC is a great machine. I’ve been in some big events before, but this is by far the biggest one. This is bigger than anything I’ve ever been a part of. It hasn’t quite sunk in, and I hope it never sinks in how big this thing is because I want to focus on the task at hand and get my hand raised inside of the octagon.”
Once the cage door closes on Saturday, Chandler will be standing across one of the best lightweights on the UFC roster. Hooker is 7-2 in his past nine bouts since moving up from 145 pounds. “The Hangman” is a respected figure in the UFC, and Chandler is excited to showcase his skills against a proven and battle-tested veteran.
“Dan Hooker is professional. He’s a fighter’s fighter,” Chandler said. “You’re going to have a hard time finding someone in this organization who doesn’t have a ton of respect for Dan Hooker. He’s a great guy to draw for my first fight. He’s a tough out. He’s got great physical attributes. We’ll see Saturday night where I stack up in the lightweight division.”
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https://youtu.be/UjGp1O6aOy8
Join MMA Junkie Radio hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” for a watch-along of UFC 257 headlined by Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier.
UFC 257 takes place Saturday with the return of the sport’s biggest star, and MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” will host a live streaming watch-along via SportsCastr that kicks off at 9 p.m. ET.
In the main event, former two-division champion [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] is back from a year-long layoff to take on [autotag]Dustin Poirer[/autotag] in a highly anticipated rematch. And in the co-headliner, former Bellator lightweight champion [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] makes his UFC debut against top contender [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag].
UFC 257 takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi. The main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Here are the seven fights included in the watch-along:
Be sure to check back and follow @MMAjunkie, @MMAjunkieRadio and @SportsCastrLive on Twitter to be notified when the guys go live.
Let MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn and Farah Hannoun walk you through everything you need to know about UFC 257.
ABU DHABI — The first blockbuster UFC event of 2021 is here, and MMA Junkie has you covered.
We’ve had multiple reporters on the ground all throughout the UFC’s three-event stint at “Fight Island” to kick off the MMA calendar, and it’s all leading up to the big one: UFC 257, which takes place at Etihad Arena with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+
In the main event, former two-division champion [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] makes his highly anticipated return after one year off to rematch former interim lightweight champ [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag]. And in the co-headliner, former Bellator lightweight champion [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] finally makes his UFC debut looking to make a strong first impression against [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] in a pivotal fight at 155 pounds.
So what should we expect from the big fights, and what else on this card is worth keeping an eye on? Let MMA Junkie’s own Mike Bohn and Farah Hannoun walk you through everything important at UFC 257. Check out their preview in the video above.
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