Tag: UFC on ESPN 12

MMA rankings report: Where does Dustin Poirier rank after UFC on ESPN 12?

MMA Junkie’s George Garcia and John Morgan discuss the latest changes to the lightweight and pound-for-pound rankings.

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] proved he still belongs in the upper heap of lightweight competitors on Saturday when he beat Dan Hooker in one of the best fights of the year at UFC on ESPN 12.

Poirier (26-6 MMA, 18-6 UFC) rebounded from his title unification loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov in September with a unanimous decision win over Hooker in the June 27 headliner, which took place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. “The Diamond” put on another classic that lived up to his reputation, and now he’s 6-1 (with one no contest) in his past eight fights.

That means change in the 155-pound division, but also in the pound-for-pound rankings, too.

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Poirier’s entrance into the pound-for-pound rankings, caused a shift in the bottom half of the polls due to some head-to-head matchups from his past with other members of the list.

Fortunately, MMA Junkie’s “Gorgeous” George Garcia and John Morgan are here to sort out all the complicated dynamics for the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings. So make sure to watch the video above to catch up with the aftermath of another night of fights in Sin City.

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Dan Hooker identifies errors in Dustin Poirier loss, targets Tony Ferguson or Charles Oliveira

Dan Hooker knows exactly what he did wrong against Dustin Poirier and hopes to correct those mistakes against another top lightweight.

[autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag]’s choice to engage in a thrilling barnburner with Dustin Poirier may have ultimately cost him a win.

Hooker (20-9 MMA, 10-5 UFC) suffered a unanimous decision loss to Poirier (26-6 MMA, 18-5 UFC) in the main event of UFC on ESPN 12 this past weekend, winning the first two rounds on the judges’ scorecards before dropping the final three.

After a strong start, Hooker started to slow down and the battle-tested Poirier turned the tide and inflicted a lot of damage to take over the momentum. It was a “Fight of the Year” candidate, and both fighters were immediately transported to a local Las Vegas hospital in the aftermath.

“Yeah, it was a bit if fun,” Hooker told Submission Radio. “Now I know what Gaethje was on about when he was like, ‘I was having too much fun fighting Dustin.’ Like, he just got carried away. He’s a fun guy to fight. Like, he’s talking to his corner, he’s talking to you, I started talking back. Like, it just got carried away. I got carried away having too much bloody fun.”

Hooker tried to rally late using his grappling, but Poirier was able to stop takedowns or pop right back up to his feet when ground, preventing Hooker from maintaining any significant top control.

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“He was pretty slippery, to be honest,” Hooker said. “I can hold onto most people fairly well, but he was real elusive in the grappling. I was quite (surprised). I had to tip my hat to him a couple of times. One of them, I got him down, and he did this real cool escape where he just butt-scooted, and then I had both his heels, and I was kinda getting ready to pass, and then he just bellied down and pulled out.

“I was just like, ‘Oh.’ Had to give him a little bow there. I was like, ‘That was sharp.’ So, just a few things, man. There’s a reason why he’s one of the best fighters in the world. I deserve to be in there with him. I thought it was a good fight.”

Hooker has been in his fair share of grueling fights, including his previous outing with Paul Felder at UFC on ESPN+ 26 in February. After a talk with his head coach Eugene Bareman of City Kickboxing, he thinks it’s time he tamed his approach.

“I said that to Eugene when we got to the hospital after the fight, I said, ‘(expletive), I’ve got a hard head,'” Hooker said. “And he’s like, ‘Didn’t you already know that?’ He’s like, ‘Did you have to check that again and not realize that by now?’ I’m done. I’m done. I’ve realized it now, from now on, we’re fighting smart. Starting from now.”

At the end of the contest, Poirier got in Hooker’s face and started jawing at him. It was clear “The Diamond” was unhappy with some of the things Hooker said pre-fight, but they were able to squash it when they ran into each other at the hospital.

“It was funny because I was spent, I used all my energy in the fight, and then he comes over and he starts jawing at me,” Hooker said. “He starts being like, ‘Oh, yeah, so you’re gonna fight Gaethje next? Oh yeah, you’re gonna smash my face in?’ And then I was just like, ‘Ah.’ So I had to stand up and I got in his face.

“I got up, got in his face, and then he (said), ‘It’s all good, it’s all good.”

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Upon his return to his native New Zealand after the fight, Hooker was immediately taken into a mandatory two-week quarantine period. That’s going to give him plenty of time to dissect the loss, but he’s already thinking about what’s next.

Hooker said he hopes to squeeze in one more fight this year, and is targeting [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] (25-4 MMA, 15-2 UFC) and [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] (29-8 MMA, 17-8 UFC) as opponents of interest.

“I’ve got my eyes on who I want to fight next, and I think it’s either gonna be Tony or it’s gonna be Oliveira,” Hooker said. “I think either one of those fights is another main event. But then, Oliveira, he’s getting carried away calling out Poirier and calling out Conor (McGregor), and he’s beating around the bush, trying to say anyone expect me or Tony.

“He’s a funny guy. But yeah, I’ll have to wait and see, because obviously Tony makes way more sense for me. But if I have to go back and then solidify my place in the top five, I’m happy to do that. I just want to fight and I want to fight before the end of the year, and either of those two names makes sense for me.”

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Spinning Back Clique: Was Dustin Poirier vs. Dan Hooker the ‘Fight of the Year’?

Watch the latest edition of “Spinning Back Clique,” which debates the “Fight of the Year” between two classics.

Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. And this week, Simon Head hosts with MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze,” plus the return of John Morgan after a week away.

SHOW TOPICS

  • [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] and [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] put on an instant classic in the UFC on ESPN 12 main event, giving Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk from UFC 248 a run for its money for “Fight of the Year.” Which is it?
  • [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag] walked into UFC on ESPN 12 with only his girlfriend in his corner, and … this might’ve been the most impressive version of him we’ve ever seen after he defeated Mickey Gall. How do you get the best of “Platinum” Perry moving forward?
  • The UFC just finished a run of five events behind closed doors at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. UFC president Dana White has expressed his desire to return to an arena with fans as soon as he gets the opportunity. If that happens, what should be the headliner?
  • The UFC is gearing up to host four July events on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, a.k.a. “Fight Island,” with UFC 251 unquestionably the biggest of them all. Aside from the four headliners, which other fight should fans look forward to the most?

For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 35 of “Spinning Back Clique” above.

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Video: Khama Worthy’s family and friends go bonkers watching UFC on ESPN 12 submission

The Worthy household went absolutely bonkers seeing their guy get his second UFC win.

[autotag]Khama Worthy[/autotag] has a strong group of loyal of supporters.

Skeptical? Look no further than the reaction video for his UFC on ESPN 12 submission win over Luis Pena on Saturday. Pandemonium struck the Worthy (16-6 MMA, 2-0 UFC) household when he once again cashed underdog bets, pulling off another finish over a top lightweight prospect.

In a video posted Monday, Worthy showed his family and friends’ reactions in the moments before, during, and after his second-round guillotine choke.

Younger or older, male or female – it didn’t matter. The living room burst with joy when Pena’s hand signaled a tap. There was jumping. There was cheering. There was celebrating. There was even a toddler doing high knees.

“And this is why we do it!” Worthy wrote. “Look at how happy my family and friends are after my win, this is for all of us. look at my little lady Marley running around like a crazy person’s lol.”

Check out the living-room-cam reaction in the video below:

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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Dan Hooker shares heartbreaking photo with his daughter during mandatory quarantine

“So close and yet so far!”

[autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] knew what he was signing up for, win or lose, against Dustin Poirier. After traveling from New Zealand to Las Vegas to fight in this past weekend’s UFC on ESPN 12 main event, Hooker knew he would have to spend two weeks in mandatory isolation upon his return.

That doesn’t make the reality of what he’s now enduring any less heartbreaking, though.

After coming out on the losing end of a unanimous decision in a “Fight of the Year” contender with Poirier (26-6 MMA, 18-5 UFC), Hooker (20-9 MMA, 10-5 UFC) is home and has started his quarantine. He’s been able to see his family but only at a distance as no physical contact is allowed, and those rules are being strictly enforced.

Hooker posted a rather heartbreaking picture of him visiting his daughter, but they were separated from each other by a pair of fences (via Instagram):

So close and yet so far! #familyovereverything

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Hooker was all smiles in the photo he posted, and that keeps in line with his attitude since the fight. Despite coming up short in his biggest career opportunity, Hooker said that it was just a “bump in the road” and he intends to return better.

The sacrifices made to compete at UFC on ESPN 12 weren’t lost on Hooker’s opponent, either. Poirier offered a supportive message in return (via Twitter):

Sorry you are going through this man. Stay strong brother

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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UFC on ESPN 12 reactions: Winning and losing fighters on social media

UFC on ESPN 12 winners and losers react on social media outlets such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Since the early days when the sport was anything but a mainstream endeavor, the MMA industry has thrived and survived through various websites, forums, and – perhaps most importantly – social-media platforms.

Fighters interact with fans, each other and many more through the likes of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, which helps outsiders get a deeper look into the minds of the athletes.

Following Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 12 in Las Vegas, several of the winning and losing fighters, along with their coaches, training partners or family members, took to social media to react to the event or share a message with supporters.

Check out some of those reactions.

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The defeated

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I tried my best making weight 2 times in 2 weeks was hard

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Home Sweet Home

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The victorious

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自分が日頃からサポートしていただいている応援団、企業、個人様をご紹介させていただきます！！ 楽球や 新宿田無応援団様 関西STYLEホルモン焼き 超ホルモン様 PlanZ様 S.P.D Group様 三和トラスト様 INSPIRIT様 MuscleTech Japan様 Nakapy様(個人) 以上になります！ また、応援団の皆さんが動いてくださり、たくさんのお店が支援金BOXを設置してくださり、アメリカでの練習、滞在費用を集めてくださりました。 そして最後に日頃からいつも応援してくださる仲間や周り皆さん。 皆様本当にありがとうございます！！ 自分に嘘をつかず、これからも変わらず真っ直ぐやっていって必ずもっと上に行きます！！ #楽球や #新宿 #田無 #応援団#超ホルモン #PlanZ #SPDgroup #三和トラスト #inspirit #muscletech

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Flight

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Super cool to get a shoutout from the GOAT @liltunechi after my fight saturday! Its an honor to be mentioned in the same statements as my man @dustinpoirier and represent #louisiana #theboot #thesouth to the best I can! I am not born in louisiana but that is all I know and thats what I represent. We have some of the most talented people in the world coming out of louisiana @dustinpoirier @timcredeur @richclementi @danger_caged @dc_mma @alanjouban @thanhlemma in fighting for the best promotions in the world; @liltunechi @iamkevingates @officialboosieig @nbayoungboy in rap; @theovon in comedy; and countless other musicians, football players, basketball players, and many many other talented people

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25 minutes! Paid In Full!

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Victory 6/27 #ElDiamante

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The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

How Kay Hansen campaigned for her UFC shot by sliding into Mick Maynard’s DMs at just 18

See the string of messages Kay Hansen sent the UFC matchmaker over a two-year period leading to her debut win this past Saturday.

At just 20 years old, [autotag]Kay Hansen[/autotag] turned some heads by scoring a “Performance of the Night” bonus in her UFC debut. But if you think she’s young now, imagine if she’d have earned her way into the promotion on her own schedule.

While UFC commentator Jon Anik joked about matchmaker Mick Maynard sliding into Hansen’s DMs to offer her a UFC deal, that moment was actually the conclusion of a campaign Hansen (7-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) launched more than two years earlier.

It started out simply enough, with Hansen reaching out to Maynard via Instagram with the “anyone, anywhere, anytime” attitude that UFC officials often like to see.

“Hey. My name is Kay. I’m 18 years old. I’m 1-0. I fought for Invicta in December. Just wanted to throw my name out there. I’m young and hungry. My last fight is on UFC fight pass. I’ll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime. Thank you.”

Just 18 at the time, Hansen made it clear to Maynard that she was ready to set foot in the octagon, despite having just one professional fight to her name. Maynard advised the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu product to keep gaining experience and that he would keep an eye on her progression.

Hansen went out to do exactly that, and although her second professional fight under the Invicta FC banner didn’t go her way, she made sure to let Maynard know she was still intent on making it to the UFC.

“Hi. I know I just lost but I still want to let you know if you ever need a straweight for UFC I’m ready. I just fought for invicta March 24. Thank you.”

Three months later, when Hansen rebounded with a win on the regional scene, she certainly wasn’t going to let the victory go unnoticed.

“Hi, can you take 1 minute out of your day and watch my last post. I fought yesterday, a jiu jitsu black belt and smashed her. I just want to let you know that I’m what you’re looking for. Thank you”

Hansen remained in touch with Maynard, who steadfastly advised her to continue gaining experience, especially against proven talent. She did exactly that, competing six times in her first 13 months as a professional.

With Maynard’s stance clear, Hansen began to offer a helping hand in how best he could utilize her talents in the UFC by suggesting matchups with Mackenzie Dern, Maycee Barber or Hannah Cifers, and even volunteering to fight for free.

“Just throwing it out there that I would like to fight in my hometown at UFC 233 in Anaheim. I can sell tickets, no travel cost, I would even fight for free. I fight next friday for Invicta, if I come out with a W I would be so ready. Mackenzie Dern, the winner of Macee Barber vs Cifers? I don’t really care. I saw you were already matching for it. Just want to throw my name out there? For 115 or 125.”

UFC 233 was expected to take place in January 2019 before it was ultimately scrapped when the promotion struggled to find a suitable headliner. Hansen was undaunted, messaging Maynard about potential fights on Dana White’s Contender Series and letting the matchmaker know she did have a passport ready and would happily fly to Brazil to face Alexa Grasso when the Mexican strawweight was briefly left without an opponent for UFC on ESPN+ 2 in February 2019.

Maynard stuck to his guns: Keep winning, and he’d keep watching.

Hansen was similarly resolute, and the push finally paid off when Maynard reach out to her just six days prior to this past weekend’s card at UFC Apex in Las Vegas with a simple request.

“Hi Kay, can you make weight for June 27? I have an opening v jinh yu Frey”

Hansen lived up to her promise, taking the short-notice fight and securing an impressive third-round submission win over former Invicta FC atomweight champion Jinh Yu Frey, taking home an extra $50,000 in the process.

So if you learn one thing today, people, let the famous words of Wayne Gretzky ring true: “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.”

Oh, and apologies to Maynard for what’s probably about to happen to his inbox.

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The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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Charles Oliveira highlights winning streak in issuing Dustin Poirier callout

Charles Oliveira thinks he’s done more than enough to draw a top-ranked lightweight next and has called for a fight with Dustin Poirier.

[autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] thinks he’s done more than enough to draw a top-ranked lightweight next.

Oliveira (29-8 MMA, 17-8 UFC) has been on a tear and is riding a ton of momentum after his third-round finish of Kevin Lee in March. He has finished his last seven opponents, earning a “Performance of the Night” in six of them.

Following his win over Lee, Oliveira called for a top five opponent next and now has zeroed in on [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag], who got back in the win column Saturday with a thrilling unanimous decision in the UFC on ESPN 12 main event.

After watching Poirier (26-6 MMA, 18-5 UFC) gut out a win, Oliveira took to Instagram to shoot his shot, as he reminded everyone of his recent accolades and why he’s earned the right to face the former interim champion.

“I just want to know ok it’s missing so I can have my chance because there are seven straight wins
5 submissions
2 knockout
And here I was born to fight to be in a war inside the octagon 🙏👊🙏”

Since moving back up to lightweight, Oliveira has won eight of nine, racking up an array of records in the process. His 14 submission wins in the UFC are the most in company history, and his 16 stoppage wins in the UFC are tied with Donald Cerrone for most in company history.

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MMA Junkie Radio #3065: UFC on ESPN 12 reaction, including Poirier vs. Hooker classic

Check out the latest edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”

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Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here!

On Episode No. 3,065 of the podcast, the guys recap UFC on ESPN 12, which featured an all-time classic main event. Let’s get after it.

THE RUNDOWN

  • We take a look back at UFC on ESPN 12 to appreciate just how insanely good the main event was between [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] and [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag]. Poirier gutted out a unanimous decision win in the no-brainer “Fight of the Night” that will be in the running for “Fight of the Year.” Both men left everything inside the octagon. Where does each go from here?
  • Aside from the headliner, UFC on ESPN 12 was a solid card from top to bottom, with no other story bigger than [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag] defeating Mickey Gall with only his girlfriend in his corner. Reaction to that and more from Saturday night.

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio, or check it out above. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.

Mickey Gall vows to ‘grow from this little loss’ to Mike Perry at UFC on ESPN 12

Mickey Gall is looking for a speedy turnaround following his UFC on ESPN 12 loss to Mike Perry.

[autotag]Mickey Gall[/autotag] is looking to get right back into the octagon following his loss to Mike Perry.

Gall (6-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) lost a unanimous decision to Perry in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 12 after a contest that saw him enjoy plenty of success standing early on.

Gall tagged Perry with clean shots on numerous occasions as he showed off his much-improved striking and earned 10-9 scores for Round 1 on all three of the judges’ scorecards.

However, despite Gall’s solid start, Perry eventually found his timing, and “Platinum” turned the tables on Gall midway through Round 2 and controlled the remainder of the fight.

“No excuses. Wasn’t really my night tonight,” Gall said. “I feel like I was getting the better of the standup, but not in the grappling. Go figure, right?”

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The 28-year-old New Jersey native fell short on Saturday, but Gall is hoping the UFC grants his wish for a quick turnaround, with the former “Lookin’ For a Fight” prospect targeting the UFC’s August cards in the U.S.

Gall offered up no excuses after his defeat as he took to Instagram to share his thoughts on the fight. You can read his full statement below:

Lost a decision. Fun fight for me. Much love everybody. I appreciate you guys. No excuses. I know who I am I’m holding my head high. I’ll be back in the octagon soon & better than ever. Gonna grow from this little loss. No where in the world would I have rather been tonight. Believe that. See you soon. I’m still full of love and gratitude ❤️ Thanks for the love always (*when the @ufc gets back from fight island to America).

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