With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from January 2020: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s “Fight of the Month” award for February.
At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.
* * * *
The Nominees
Trevin Giles def. James Krause at UFC 247
A wild turn of events saw [autotag]James Krause[/autotag] (27-8 MMA, 8-4 UFC) go from not being booked to fight in Houston to winning “Fight of the Night” in an entertaining middleweight affair with [autotag]Trevin Giles[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, .
Krause, who typically fights at welterweight, stepped up a weight class and onto the card on roughly 30 hours notice. He went one to war with Giles, and while many believed he won, the split decision went in favor of Giles after a back-and-forth 15-minute affair.
Jon Jones def. Dominick Reyes at UFC 247
[autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] did it again successfully defended his UFC light heavyweight title against challenger [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag], earning an unanimous decision nod by scores of 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46.
It wasn’t without controversy, though, because many believe Reyes did enough to win. He pushed who many consider the sport’s all-time great to the limit over five rounds, but in the end the judges didn’t score it in his favor and Jones gave Reyes his first career loss.
Scott Holtzman def. Jim Miller at UFC on ESPN+ 25
[autotag]Jim Miller[/autotag] (31-14 MMA, 20-13 UFC) is one of the most durable competitors in the history of MMA. If you doubt that, consider that his fight with [autotag]Scott Holtzman[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) was his 33rd in the UFC and that he holds the company’s record for lightweight wins at 19.
Holtzman, however, is starting to demonstrate that he, too, has staying power – and that here in his fifth UFC year, he’s coming into his own. “Hot Sauce” scored an impressive win, figuring out the pace in the opening round and then turning things on over the final two to earn a unanimous decision.
Dan Hooker def. Paul Felder at UFC on ESPN+ 26
[autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] (20-8 MMA, 10-4 UFC) and [autotag]Paul Felder[/autotag] (17-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) delivered on their promise to deliver a memorable bout when fighting on a main event stage for the first time, producing the “Fight of the Night” in Auckland.
The pair of lightweight contenders went back-and-forth over the course of five rounds, battering each other with every ounce of their fiber. Hooker got the split decision nod in the end, but Felder certainly made a strong case that he was deserving, as well. Both men earned each other’s respect, though, and shared a post-fight moment in the hospital.
Deiveson Figueiredo def. Joseph Benavidez at UFC on ESPN+ 27
[autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) earned the biggest victory of his career when he scored a second-round technical knockout of [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) in a bout that was supposed to crown a new 125-pound champion.
But Figueiredo missed weight, coming in at 127.5, two-and-a-half pounds over the championship weight limit. As such, while Benavidez, who made weight, would have won the title with a victory, Figueiredo earned the victory, but not the belt, as the title remained vacant.
* * * *
The Winner:
[vertical-gallery id=492905]
Hooker is a lanky lightweight who uses his range to maximum efficiency. Felder is a buzzsaw who likes to bite down on his mouthpiece, close the distance and throw down.
That’s what made the main event of UFC on ESPN+ 26 in Auckland, New Zealand, so intriguing on paper, and the fight delivered exactly what it promised.
For five grueling rounds, the duo put on a display that was equal parts skill and grit, as the duo pieced each other up.
In the end, Hooker, who trains out of Auckland’s City Kickboxing, earned the hometown victory at Spark Arena via split decision. Hooker got the better end of two out of three 48-47 scorecards in a fight every bit as close as the scores indicate.
After the fight, Felder indicated retirement might be in the cards.
[lawrence-related id=493963,493798,493096]
“I knew it was close,” he said. “I feel like I hurt him a lot in the fight, but he got the takedowns, which is smart. He busted me up pretty good. That might be it for me.”
The opening round saw Hooker, who had a four-inch reach advantage, utilize his range. He kept Felder at bay with front kicks and kicks to the lead leg. When Felder landed, however, he did so with authority, as he rocked Hooker with a pair of left hooks during the round, portending things to come.
By Round 2, Felder’s right eye was swollen shut, but he pressed forward. Hooker continued to play matador, continued to land kicks, and left Felder flustered.
In the third round, however, Felder managed to figure out how to close the distance and engage, even with one eye closed, and the fight’s momentum changed. Hooker never did have an answer for Felder’s powerful, well-placed lefts, and the damage started to add up.
In the fourth, the Roufusport standout continued to turn up the heat, and there was a sense Felder could win the fight after all. What had been a rowdy crowd at the fight’s outset grew nervous as the two exchanged, with Felder getting the best of things.
Both competitors went for the win in the fifth. What might have been the deciding moment came late, when Hooker parried a charging Felder and turned it into a takedown. Felder did his best to break free, but Hooker’s poise in the last-minute scrambles spelled the difference.
While there was high tension between both men in the buildup to the bout, Hooker was conciliatory after Felder hinted at retirement.
“An honor,” Hooker said of sharing the octagon with Felder. “He’s a tough son of a gun.”
[opinary poll=”fight-of-the-month-for-february-2020_mma-o9Ls98″ customer=”mmajunkie”]
