Dan Hooker survived some submission scares in the opening round of his fight with Claudio Puelles tonight at UFC 281 and then began to punish him on the feet in the minutes that followed, before eventually TKO’ing him with kicks to the body.
Round One:
Inside leg kick for Hooker. He lands another. Puelles checks another leg kick attempt. However, Hooker lands another to the inside of the leg soon after.
Missed spinning kick upstairs from Puelles. Hooker with a leg kick and feels one out upstairs too. Now back to the low kick. Puelles checks another kick.
Hooker again goes to the inside of the leg then misses with a couple of punches. Suddenly Puelles does an Imanari roll to immediately threaten with a submission.
Puelles is excellent with leg locks and is instantly hunting for one. Hooker trying his best to avoid being caught in a bad position and manages to get around to his opponents back.
Tense moments here as Puelles looks to adjust his position. Puelles does just that and works for the submission again. Hooker staying patient though and methodically manages to escape that attempt too and gradually works back to his feet.
Puelles attempting to roll into a submission again, but this time Hooker avoids it. Back on the feet Hooker is looking to get back to basics with his low kicks. Puelles drops to the mat and butt scoots towards Hooker without success as the crowd boo’s him.
Round Two:
Puelles tries to shoot for a takedown immediately and it’s stuffed. Jabs from Hooker. Body kick from Puelles and then misses a head kick.
Hooker lands a good punch followed by a head kick that’s blocked. Hooker lands again and Puelles drops into a takedown attempt without success.
As Hooker comes forward Puelles tries again for another failed takedown. Hooker connecting. Puelles closes the distance and gets into the clinch. Hooker threatening with a choke and they go to the mat for a moment, but then are back up.
Puelles is flopping to the mat repeatedly, either due to failed takedown attempts or just trying to bait Hooker into following him down.
Another takedown attempt and this time Hooker sprawls on him and stays there for a little bit, then is back up.
Front kick to the body from Hooker seems to hurt Puelles and he’s down on the mat again. Hard to tell how hurt he is, but he must also be tired after all these failed takedowns.
Hooker lands another front kick to the midsection and Puelles winces in pain as he goes to ground yet again and that’s it, the ref has seen enough of this Hooker wins by TKO at 4.06mins of Rd2.
