Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker surprised fans with a gift last Saturday night in the UFC on ESPN 12. Their fight was a great MMA show that thrilled both fans and their fellow comrades. ‘The Diamond’ moved higher on the UFC all-time winners list and repositioned itself as a name to be reckoned with for the lightweight belt. His trainer, Mike Brown, discussed his pre-fight strategy, something that turned out to be the downfall of ‘The Hanged Man’.
In a conversation with MMA Fighting, Brown said: “Something we talked about was patience for sure. We know Dustin will always be strong as the fight progresses and we knew Hooker tends to decline. He proved it in past fights. It is very good early, but as the speed decreases, its defense gets a little bit worse and you can hit it a little bit more. From the beginning, when he is full of energy, he can use the distance a little better and make you fail with those shots. “
The Hangman led Poirier on strikes in the second round. However, he was unable to maintain that level throughout the fight. As a result, ‘The Diamond’ made a great comeback and delivered a one-sided final round.
Dustin Poirier used his kick to a greater extent
Additionally, Brown shares the strategy of increasing kicks by praising Poirier. He said, “Perhaps the most natural talent of all that I have ever known. He is up there. Amazing conditioning, strong mind, strong will and also power. Punching power and also kicking power. He kicks like a mule. Something that hasn’t used a ton because he had a hip problem, he just had hip surgery before this one to clean up a few things and hopefully let him use it up a little bit more. “
The fight was crucial for Poirier to stabilize in the ranking. He knew that a loss could leave Dan Hooker in fifth place in a prime position to beat him. He avoided following the path of welterweight fighter Tyron Woodley, who suffered defeat and saw his range drop alarmingly.
However, it had a great physical cost since he spent the night in a hospital. Brown said: “Another candidate for the ‘Fight of the Year’. Every time it comes out it’s one of these performances, right? “
With fighters like ‘The Eagle’, Justin Gaethje, and Tony Ferguson in front of Poirier, one can expect even more brutal wars as he struggles to claim the belt. Will patience and your new kicking weapon prove to be the difference here?
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