UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. Hooker preview and pick

When Paul Felder and Dan Hooker face off in New Zealand on Saturday, UFC fans will be treated to a mirror match, as fighters with identical styles will face off in a crossroads clash. With a potential title shot on the line, these lightweights are going to leave it all in the ring in a potentially explosive fight.

Expect an extremely tight fight

The odds are indicative of how tightly contested this fight is expected to be. Felder and Hooker have almost identical stats and styles, are 2-1 in their last three, and are right in the thick of things at lightweight.

Hooker’s reach and youth are the only things that poke out as a meaningful advantage, whereas Felder brings experience and durability to the table.

Hooker suffered the first stoppage loss of his career when Edson Barboza caught him with a body shot, but Hooker was absolutely wiped out in the battle of kickboxers. He is a capable striker, but he telegraphs his offense and has been solved by lesser fighters. More often than not, Hooker doesn’t fight to his reach advantage and has a leaky defense.

Felder has power and size on his side

Felder is easing out of the competitive scene and may have one foot out the door, but he is fighting at a respectable level and is the bigger fighter. Though he did not deserve the split nod against Barboza in his last fight, Felder gave a better account of himself and showed some veteran savvy by scoring when he could and coming forward with activity.

Hooker has a superior ground game

Because Hooker doesn’t have the power to keep Felder away, there is a good chance these two are going to go at each other and won’t be separated until the final bell. It would be wise to bet on the underdog veteran, who still has a few good fights left in him.

Hooker may opt to take Felder down and impose his superior ground game, but any traps he tries to set aren’t going to fool Felder at this point in his career.

It is going to be close, dicey, potentially bloody, and is definitely going the distance. Felder will outlast a game Hooker and earn a hard-fought decision victory.

MMA free pick: Felder (+110)

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