The fifth and final Las Vegas show before the UFC took flight to Fight Island went down Saturday. UFC on ESPN 12 capped a busy five-week stint for the promotion, starting with the Woodley vs. Burns fight card at the end of May.
Through five consecutive weeks, the promotion did what it could to entertain fans and get fighters in the cage during the pandemic. For the most part, the process appeared to work. The empty venue has now become commonplace, and if nothing else, having their own arena has ensured that the UFC can put on a live sporting event in a time when few others can.
The card Saturday was topped by Dustin Poirier, former interim lightweight champion, and Dan Hooker — a fight that could produce the next title contender in the 155lb weight class. Though nothing is set in stone, Justin Gaethje has the next title shot as it stands, given he holds the interim belt. Tony Ferguson is coming off a loss, Conor McGregor claims he’s retired, so Poirier vs. Hooker held a lot of weight in what is traditionally one of the UFC’s (and the sport’s) deepest weight classes.
For full coverage of tonight’s bouts, track the UFC on ESPN 12 tag. Following the event, tune in for the post-fight press conference live stream, which you can view above.
