UFC announces full fight card for June 27 event headlined by Dustin Poirier vs. Dan Hooker
As we all know by now, former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier is returning to Octagon action against Dan Hooker in a high profile lightweight clash that could possibly decide the next challenger to the title.
On Friday, UFC President Dana White announced on ESPN that the lightweights will headline the UFC on ESPN 12 card scheduled to go down on June 27 inside the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker were originally scheduled to fight at the UFC San Diego card on May 16 but that card was canceled due to the outbreak of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The fight against Hooker is crucial for Poirier who's returning to the Octagon after almost year's absence following a failed bid to capture reigning champion Khabib Nurmagomedov's lightweight strap in the main event of UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi back in September last year.
Poirier fell to Nurmagomedov via submission in the third round of the pair's clash and though he had his moments in the fight, "The Diamond" regrets not being able to hold his nerves long enough in the biggest fight of his career to date. Well, as he takes on the rising prospect Hooker next, Poirier will be hoping to get back to winning ways and perhaps launch a final run for the title.
Dan Hooker has been on a roll recently. the neat striker form New Zealand already has three wins on the trot heading into his fight against Dustin Poirier and will be looking to extend the winning streak on June 27. Hooker's last fight was a hard-earned split decision win over Paul Felder in February.
The other fights confirmed for the June 27 card include a welterweight co-main event between Mickey Gall and Mike Perry, as well as main card bouts between middleweights Ian Heinisch and Brendan Allen, heavyweights Gian Villante and Maurice Greene, and female bantamweights Aspen Ladd and Sara McMann.
Given below is the complete UFC on ESPN 12 card:
Main Card
Dustin Poirier vs. Dan Hooker
Mickey Gall vs. Mike Perry
Ian Heinisch vs. Brendan Allen
Gian Villante vs. Maurice Greene
Aspen Ladd vs. Sara McMann
Preliminaries
Jennifer Maia vs. Viviane Araujo
Luis Pena vs. Khama Worthy
Philipe Lins vs. Tanner Boser
Sean Woodson vs. Kyle Nelson