UFC on ESPN+ 26: Felder vs. Hooker Live Coverage

Heading overseas for the first time in 2020, UFC went to the Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday for UFC on ESPN+ 26. Headlining the card was ranked lightweights Paul Felder and Dan Hooker. Follow along throughout the next for live coverage of the events in Auckland.

A full preview of the show can be seen here.

Quick Results – Click a fight to skip to it:

Prelims (4:00 PM EST / 10:00 AM NZDT) (ESPN+)

Bout 1: Priscila Cachoeira def. Shana Dobson via KO, Punches (RD 1, 0:40)

Bout 2: Angela Hill def. Loma Lookboonmee via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 3: Kai Kara-France def. Tyson Nam via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 4: Song Kenan def. Callan Potter via KO, Punches (RD 1, 2:20)

Bout 5: Jake Matthews def. Emil Meek via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 6: Jalin Turner def. Joshua Culibao via TKO, Punches (RD 2, 3:01)

Bout 7: Zubaira Tukhugov def. Kevin Aguilar via TKO, Punches (RD 1, 3:21)

Main Card (7:00 PM EST / 1:00 PM NZDT) (ESPN+)

Bout 8: Brad Riddell def. Magomed Mustafaev via Decision, Split

Bout 9: Marcos Rogerio de Lima def. Ben Sosoli via KO, Punches (RD 1, 1:28)

Bout 10: Yan Xiaonan def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 11: Jimmy Crute def. Michal Oleksiejczuk via Submission, Kimura (RD 1, 3:29)

Bout 12: Dan Hooker def. Paul Felder via Decision, Split

Live Coverage:

Bout 1: Shana Dobson (3-3) vs. Priscila Cachoeira (8-3) (Flyweight)

The prelims started with Shana Dobson and Priscila Cachoeira fighting in a flyweight matchup. Cachoeira was pressing forward with punches at the start. An uppercut dropped Dobson, ending the fight in the first minute. Showing her hard fists, Priscila Cachoeira snapped a three-fight losing streak to open the evening. She was quite emotional after the stoppage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Dobson
Cachoeira

Bout 2: Loma Lookboonmee (4-1) vs. Angela Hill (11-7) (Strawweight)

After having a successful UFC debut in late 2019, Loma Lookboonmee returned to face short-notice opponent Angela Hill. Hill last fought the month before, stopping Hannah Cifers with ground and pound in the second round. Hill was the fighter advancing more to start the fight. They were basically trading blows at the start. Hill landed a good right hand in the third minute of the round. Lookboonmee scored a kick to the body exiting the clinch. Hill put Lookboonmee in a clinch in the final minute of the round. Hill got a takedown after having her opponent up against the cage. Hill landed some strikes from above before the round ended.

Hill put Lookboonmee up against the fence again early in the second round. Hill got ahold of a leg, although Lookboonmee escaped and returned to distance striking. Lookboonmee got a takedown halfway through the round. Hill tried for an armbar from the bottom. She then attempted a triangle choke, which Lookboonmee also escaped while maintaining top position. They got back up in the clinch with a minute to go. They did striking for the final 30 seconds of the round. Lookboonmee landed a teep kick which hurt Hill.

Lookboonmee had a good opening to the final round, throwing jabs and teep kicks. Hill scored a good punch after catching a kick. They went into another clinch against the cage, but separated and returned to striking. Hill put Lookboonmee against the cage again, landing lots of good punches in the clinch. Exiting the clinch, they both landed elbows to the head. The fight went to the scorecards to find a winner. Angela Hill walked away with the win after all three judges saw her as the better fighter (30-27, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Lookboonmee	9	9	9	27
Hill	10	10	10	30

Bout 3: Kai Kara-France (20-8) (#8) vs. Tyson Nam (18-10-1) (Flyweight)

The only ranked flyweight on the card, Kai Kara-France faced Tyson Nam in the next fight. Kara-France, who is from New Zealand, got a warm welcome. In the first round, the fighters had fast paced and close striking. When trading hooks, Nam landed one which shook Kara-France a little. However, Kara-France had a higher volume of strikes in this round. Nam tried for a takedown in the final minute, however Kara-France never fully went down. Escaping the clinch, Kara-France landed an elbow to the head.

Nam put Kara-France in a clinch against the cage, but got caught with strikes when exiting again. Kara-France tried for his own takedown in the second minute, although Nam was able to stay on his feet against the fence. They went back to exchanging explosive punches for the rest of the round. Nam landed a good overhand right in the fourth minute. Nam was having the more powerful shots periodically, although Kara-France was consistently landing harder strikes.

Kara-France failed to land a takedown in the first minute. He was landing combinations on the feet. Nam was retreating often, getting hit with lots of punches. This was Kara-France’s best round yet. Kara-France almost dumped Nam to the ground in the final minute, landing some strikes to a recovering Nam as he got up. Nam kept clinching up in the final moments of the round. They fought until the bell. When going to the judges, Kai Kara-France got the win, bouncing back from his first loss in the UFC (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Kara-France	10	10	10	30
Nam	9	9	9	27

Bout 4: Callan Potter (18-8) vs. Song Kenan (15-5) (Welterweight)

In a welterweight matchup, China’s Song Kenan fought Australia’s Callan Potter next. The fighters went into a clinch early on. Potter got a trip takedown from a clinch, however Song got up and returned to striking shortly after. Song was trying some shoulder strikes in another clinch. Potter got rocked by three hooks and was dropped in the third minute. In a matter of moments, a quick competition became the third stoppage victory in the UFC for Song Kenan.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Potter
Kenan

Bout 5: Jake Matthews (15-4) vs. Emil Meek (9-4) (Welterweight)

Coming back from over a year’s absence from fighting, Emil Meek returned to fight Jake Matthews. Matthews got a takedown in the first minute of the fight. Matthews didn’t do much before they got back to their feet. Meek got dropped in the third minute with a left uppercut. Matthews got back on Meek on the ground. Matthews stayed on Meek until the round ended.

Matthews got his third takedown of the fight in the first minute of the second round. He got on the back of Meek. When they got up, Meek landed a knee to the head. Matthews landed an overhand right then got another takedown. They got back to their feet before the round ended.

Meek pushed the pace at the start of the third round, something he didn’t do at the start of the first two rounds. Matthews failed to secure a takedown. Meek avoided many more takedowns in the round. Meek continued to push forward for the rest of the round, albeit with less power than the rounds before due to fatigue. Meek threw a flying knee which was caught in the final seconds. Needing judges to find a winner, it was Jake Matthews who got the unanimous decision win (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Matthews	10	10	9	29
Meek	9	9	10	28

Bout 6: Jalin Turner (8-5) vs. Joshua Culibao (8-0) (Lightweight)

In the second-last preliminary bout of the evening, undefeated fighter Joshua Culibao challenged Jalin Turner. Culibao tried for a takedown in the first minute from a body lock, however it was Turner that got it. After throwing a few strikes from top position, Turner got up, forcing Culibao to get up as well. Turner put in a guillotine in the clinch, going to the ground while still holding it. Culibao endured and eventually escaped the choke. They went back to stand-up for the rest of the round.

The second round had a slow start. In the second minute, it seemed like Culibao hurt himself while moving. Turner landed a combination of strikes, then took Culibao to the ground again with a guillotine choke. Culibao escaped the choke. Turner got on Culibao’s back and started to throw lots of strikes. After a couple of minutes of strikes, the referee finally put an end to the fight. Getting back in the win column, Jalin Turner ended the undefeated pro record of Joshua Culibao.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Turner	10
Culibao	9

Bout 7: Zubaira Tukhugov (18-4-1) vs. Kevin Aguilar (17-2) (Featherweight)

Bumped down to the preliminary card, Zubaira Tukhugov and Kevin Aguilar battled in the next fight. The first round had close striking until the fourth minute, where Aguilar was dropped by a hook. He was dropped again by punches, and was hit by more on the ground until the referee had seen enough. In a flash, Zubaira Tukhugov got a punch-heavy victory against Kevin Aguilar. After the fight, Tukhugov asked for a top 15 opponent in his next matchup.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Tukhugov
Aguilar

Bout 8: Magomed Mustafaev (14-3) vs. Brad Riddell (7-1) (Lightweight)

Kicking off the main card, New Zealand’s Brad Riddell was matched up against Magomed Mustafaev. Riddell dropped Mustafaev a minute into the fight with a straight right. Mustafaev recovered, getting back to his feet in the clinch. Mustafaev got ahold of Riddell’s back in the clinch. Mustafaev flipped over to the front, still controlling Riddell. They finally separated with 10 seconds left in the fight.

Riddell landed a right hook to start the second round. Mustafaev landed a strong right hand of his own in the second minute. They traded hard punches in a clinch in the third minute. Mustafaev got another takedown with two minutes to go. Riddell got to the cage, but continued to be smothered by Mustafaev. Riddell kept going from the ground, to his knees and feet. Mustafaev kept Riddell against the cage until the round ended.

Riddell was walking down Mustafaev early in the final round. Riddell landed looks as Mustafaev missed with a flying knee. Mustafaev recovered while putting Riddell against the cage again. They went back to their feet win the second minute, where Riddell got a takedown. From top position, Riddell started to throw lots of punches. A cut started to bleed from Riddell’s forehead. The broadcast claimed it was due to a spinning backfist he ate. The fight went back to striking with two minutes to go. Mustafaev put Riddell against the cage again. Riddell escaped the position, putting Mustafaev on the ground. Riddell threw punches before trying for a kimura that he never fully finished. Riddell got a takedown as the round ended. The fight went to the scorecards, with Brad Riddell getting the split decision win (29-28 Riddell, 29-28 Mustafaev & 29-28 Riddell).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Mustafaev	9	10	9	28
Riddell	10	9	10	29

Bout 9: Marcos Rogerio de Lima (16-6-1) vs. Ben Sosoli (7-2) (Heavyweight)

In the sole heavyweight fight of the evening, Ben Sosoli fought Marcos Rogerio de Lima. They were swinging for the fences from the start. Sosoli was getting hit with more strikes, although neither of them were really reacting to strikes early on. Sosoli got dropped by a right hook halfway through the second minute, with the referee ending it seconds later. 

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
De Lima
Sosoli

Bout 10: Karolina Kowalkiewicz (12-5) (#14) vs. Yan Xiaonan (11-1) (Strawweight)

The next fight saw former UFC Strawweight Champion Karolina Kowalkiewicz face up-and-coming Yan Xiaonan. Yan was throwing frequent strikes from the start, with Kowalkiewicz playing a counter-puncher role. Kowalkiewicz kept touching one of her eyes. Yan got a judo throw takedown from the clinch. They got up in a clinch with two minutes to go, separating eventually. Yan continued to keep the pressure on Kowalkiewicz with striking. Yan got another takedown, throwing punches from top position. They were both on their feet as the round ended.

Before the second round started, a doctor checked out Kowalkiewicz’s right eye, claiming her eye is good enough for her to continue. Yan picked up where she left off in the first round, pushing forward with punches. Kowalkiewicz put Yan against the cage in a clinch. Yan threw Kowalkiewicz to the ground. Yan got up immediately, forcing the referee to stand Kowalkiewicz up too. Yan got another takedown, being in a north-south position for a moment before getting up again. Kowalkiewicz was giving her right eye even more attention than she did in the first round.

Yan had Kowalkiewicz backed up against the cage getting hit with shots to start the third round. Yan got a takedown in the second minute of the round. Kowalkiewicz tried for a heel hook but never fully got it in. Yan stayed in top position after, landing punches periodically. Kowalkiewicz had top position for the final few moments of the round. After three lopsided rounds, Yan Xiaonan had no trouble winning over the scorecards (30-26, 30-26 & 30-26).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Kowalkiewicz	9	9	9	27
Xiaonan	10	10	10	30

Bout 11: Jimmy Crute (10-1) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (14-3) (Light Heavyweight)

In the co-main event of the show, light heavyweights Michal Oleksiejczuk and Australia’s Jimmy Crute battled. Crute got a takedown in the first 10 seconds of the fight. He got on Oleksiejczuk’s back, throwing him back down a few times as they would stand up. They got back up the feet, where Crute put Oleksiejczuk up against the cage before getting another takedown. They went back to striking with just over two minutes to go in the fight. Crute threw Oleksiejczuk back down. He got into full mount, trying for an arm triangle. He got into side control, trying for a kimura which made Oleksiejczuk tap out. After showing his powerful wrestling Jimmy Crute put in a kimura to end the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Crute
Oleksiejczuk

Bout 12: Paul Felder (17-4) (#6) vs. Dan Hooker (19-8) (#7) (Lightweight)

 

The main event of the evening saw ranked lightweights Paul Felder and Dan Hooker battle in a five-round matchup. Hooker declined a glove touch before the fight started. Hooker threw leg kicks at the start. Felder slipped after missing a spinning backfist. Felder landed a good punch in the fourth minute which snapped Hooker’s head back. Hooker fell after getting hit with a kick. They went into a clinch against the cage after he got up. They returned to striking for the final 30 seconds of the round where not much was landed. Felder started to bleed from the nose as the round was ending.

As the second round was starting, one of Felder’s eyes was swollen. They both scored hard punches on each other in the second minute of the fight. Hooker got in close range, getting on the back of Felder while they were still on their feet. They went back to striking moments later. Felder had a good closing of the round, landing numerous punches in a row.

Felder was the fighter showing more damage on their face as the third round started. They were trading punches throughout the round. Hooker put Felder against the cage in a clinch as the round ended.

The fight went into the fourth round, which neither fight had fought to before in their career. Felder had a good first minute of the fourth round, hitting Hooker with hard punches. After being hit with more punches, Hooker tried for a takedown, getting a clinch against the cage. They went back into a clinch, where Hooker got on Felder’s back. They returned to striking with two minutes to go in the round. Felder continued to be the better striker in this round. Hooker failed again to score a takedown. They stayed in a clinch against the cage until the round ended.

Hooker got into a clinch in the second minute of the final round, getting closer than ever to a takedown this time. Felder hit Hooker with a good punch with a minute to go, but Hooker countered by shooting for a takedown. He finally scored a takedown. Felder got up in the final seconds, however Hooker kept ahold of him until the round ended. The fight went all 25 minutes, making it the longest fight that either fighter had ever put on before. Going to the scorecards, the fight was a split decision victory for Dan Hooker (48-47 Felder, 48-47 Hooker & 48-47 Hooker). After the fight, Hooker was tearing up, saying “that might be it for me.” He talked about how his child misses him every time he leaves for a fight. He took off one glove, however said he will go back and decide what he wants to do with his career. Hooker called out Justin Gaethje.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Total
Felder	9	10	10	10	9	48
Hooker	10	9	9	9	10	47

UFC returns next weekend from the Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. Headlining the card, Joseph Benavidez and Deiveson Figueiredo will fight for the vacant UFC Flyweight Championship.