''UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. Hooker'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 168'' and ''UFC on ESPN+ 26'') was a
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...
event produced by the
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
that took place on February 23, 2020, at
Spark Arena
Spark Arena (also known as Auckland City Arena, and formerly as Vector Arena) is a multipurpose arena in Auckland, New Zealand. The venue is located at Quay Park, Parnell, very close to Britomart Transport Centre and The Strand Station. The ar ...
in
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...
, New Zealand.
Background
The event was the third time that the promotion has hosted in Auckland and first since
UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Hunt in June 2017.
A lightweight bout between
Paul Felder and
Dan Hooker
Daniel Hooker (born 13 February 1990) is a New Zealand mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Lightweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Hooker was the King in the Ring Middleweight Kickboxing Champion and WKBF ...
served as the event headliner.
A light heavyweight bout between
Tyson Pedro
Tyson Pedro (born 17 September 1991) is an Australian mixed martial artist who competes in the Light heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Background
Pedro is an Australian of Spanish, American Samoa heritage.
...
and
Vinicius Moreira
Vinicius Moreira Castro (born February 28, 1989) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist currently competing in the Light heavyweight division. He is most known for his time spent fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Background
In ...
was scheduled for the event. However, Pedro pulled out of the fight in early January citing an undisclosed injury. In turn, promotion officials elected to remove Moreira from the card entirely.
A women's flyweight bout between
Rachael Ostovich
Rachael Ostovich (born February 25, 1991) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Flyweight division. A professional since 2017, she has competed in the UFC and Invicta Fighting Championships. Since her release from the UFC, she h ...
and
Shana Dobson was scheduled for the event. However, Ostovich pulled out of the fight for an unknown reason and was replaced by
Priscila Cachoeira
Priscila Cachoeira Gomes Da Silva (born 19 August 1988) is a Brazilian female mixed martial arts fighter. She currently competes in the Flyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Personal life
Cachoeira had a troubled childhood gr ...
.
A women's strawweight bout between
Loma Lookboonmee
Suphisara Konlak ( th, สุภิสรา คนหลัก) (born January 18, 1996), best known professionally as Loma Lookboonmee ( th, โลมา ลูกบุญมี), is a Thai martial artist who has competed in Muay Thai, boxing, ...
and
Hannah Goldy
Hannah Eliza Goldschmidt (born May 18, 1992) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Background
Goldy grew up in Vermont snowboarding, running track, and competing in cros ...
was scheduled for the event. However, Goldy pulled out due to a shoulder injury and was replaced by former
Invicta FC Strawweight Champion Angela Hill
Angela Patrice Hill (born January 12, 1985) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the strawweight division. She was formerly signed with the Invicta Fighting Championships, of which she was the strawweight champion. She is also ...
.
A lightweight bout between
Jamie Mullarkey
Jamie Mullarkey (born 17 August 1994) is an Australian mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Background
Mullarkey grew up in Central Coast area, attending Erina High School. He beg ...
and
Jalin Turner was scheduled for the event. However, Mullarkey withdrew from the event due to injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer
Joshua Culibao.
A welterweight bout between
Maki Pitolo
Maki Ikaika Maleko Pitolo (born November 24, 1990) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Middleweight division. A professional mixed martial artist since 2013, Pitolo has also competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and B ...
and
Takashi Sato
is a Japanese mixed martial artist. A professional since 2013, he currently competes in the Welterweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Early life
Born to a Japanese father and Taiwanese mother, Sato grew up in Shinjuk ...
was scheduled for the preliminary portion of the card. However, the bout was cancelled as Pitolo failed to make it to the scale during the weigh-ins after falling ill and the matchup was called off by medical personnel.
Results
Bonus awards
The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.
*Fight of the Night: Dan Hooker vs. Paul Felder
*Performance of the Night: Jimmy Crute and Priscila Cachoeira
See also
*
List of UFC events
*
List of current UFC fighters
*
2020 in UFC
The year 2020 was the 28th year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.
Partnership
Starting in 2021, a partnership between the UFC and Dapper Labs's Flow platform ...
References
{{2020 in mixed martial arts
UFC Fight Night
Mixed martial arts in New Zealand
Sport in Auckland
2020 in mixed martial arts
2020 in New Zealand sport
February 2020 sports events in New Zealand