That brutal knockout of Ross Pearson? Dan Hooker says it was 'lucky – nothing else'

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Dan Hooker showed plenty of humility after scoring one of the biggest wins of his career, which came against Ross Pearson on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 110.

Hooker (14-7 MMA, 4-3 UFC) picked up arguably the most memorable stoppage on the card when he obliterated Pearson (19-14 MMA, 11-11 UFC) with a perfect knockout via knee in the second round of their lightweight bout, which aired on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass at Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand.

During his post-fight interview with Brian Stann, “The Hangman” said the blow was entirely reactionary and he could only take so much credit. He doubled down on that comment during the post-fight press conference.

“I just caught him with that knee,” Hooker told MMAjunkie. “Lucky – nothing else.”

The clash with Pearson marked Hooker’s return to the lightweight division after he his previous six UFC appearances came at featherweight. Hooker said the 10-pound difference had a substantial impact on his performance.

“I just felt strong; I felt fit,” Hooker said. “I felt like a completely different fighter. I felt like myself. That’s how I train. That’s how I compete in the gym, and when I’m not draining myself to get down to 145, it’s my natural weight into the fight. … I’m never going back to featherweight.”

UFC Fight Night 110 was a glorious event for Kiwi fighters. Hooker’s victory was part of a 3-0 night for fighters from the region, with Mark Hunt and Jake Jumeau also earning victories.

Fighting on home turf comes with pressure, but Hooker seems to thrive. He also scored a first-round knockout of Ian Entwistle at the UFC’s first event in New Zealand, which took place in June 2014, and the encore was even better.

Once the referee pulled Hooker off Pearson, he was finally able to soak in the moment.

“Looking after the finish and seeing the crowd and just hearing them, it’s the same as the first show,” Hooker said. “That’s one of the loudest crowds I’ve come across. These New Zealand fans, they’ve got some lungs of them.”

It was Hooker’s fourth win under the UFC banner, all of which have come by stoppage. He’s been inconsistent, though, while alternating wins and losses over his seven-fight tenure with the promotion. He said the weight-class change will bring a steadier results, and he hopes he gets a chance to put together consecutive wins for the first time when the UFC makes its return to his part of the world later this year.

“I’m looking at November at the next show in Sydney or Melbourne,” Hooker said. “Break the voodoo for this one.”

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 110, check out the UFC Events section of the site.