Sparks Arena in Auckland, New Zealand will be the venue for a big card full of action on Sunday. ESPN+ will carry UFC Fight Night Felder vs. Hooker with six bouts on the main card. Headlining the event is a lightweight bout between Paul Felder and Auckland’s own hometown hero Dan Hooker. At the onset of UFC Betting Hooker became the small favorite. This is the third UFC event held in Auckland. Most important of all the card is loaded with even matchups. Handicappers have the opportunity for good potential value options. Let’s take a look at top matchups.
UFC Fight Night Felder vs. Hooker
| Date and Time: | Sunday, February 23, 2020, 7 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Spark Arena, Auckland, New Zealand |
| UFC Fight Night TV Coverage: | ESPN+ |
| UFC Betting odds at SBG: | Dan Hooker -132 vs. Paul Felder +118, Jimmy Crute +133 vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk -147, Karolina Kowalkiewicz +206 vs. Yan Xiaonan -234, Kevin Aguilar -117 vs. Zubaira Tukhugov +103, Ben Sosoli +128 vs. Marcos Rogerio De Lima -142, Brad Riddell +133 vs. Magomed Mustafaev -147, Emil Meek +201 vs. Jake Matthews -229, Callan Potter +138 vs. Song Kenan -152, Kai Kara France -254 vs. Tyson Nam +226, Maki Pitolo -102 vs. Takashi Sato -112, Priscila Cachoeira +153 vs. Shana Dobson -172. |
UFC Fight Night Felder vs. Hooker Overview
Now Paul Felder is ranked sixth in the UFC lightweight rankings. His online wagering record is 17 wins with four losses. Specifically, his wins included 10 knockouts, one submission, and six decisions. He has lost one fight by knockout and three by decision. Felder has won his last two fights and five of his last six. September 7, he defeated Edson Barboza by split decision at UFC 242. Previously Felder has also fought in the welterweight division. He has been in UFC since October of 2014. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the hometown of “The Irish Dragon.”
Dan Hooker is a native of Auckland where he still resides. Overall his record is 19 wins with eight losses. He has 10 knockouts, seven submissions, and two decision wins. Counter to that is one knockout, two submission, and five decision defeats. Hooker is ranked seventh in the UFC lightweight division. In like manner to Felder, he has won two in a row and six of his last seven. October 6 was a unanimous decision win over Al Laquinta at UFC 243. Hooker has been in UFC since June of 2014.
Kowalkiewicz vs. Xiaonan
Woman’s strawweight action will feature Karolina Kowalkiewicz against Yan Xiaonan. Kowalkiewicz is from Poland and is known appropriately enough as the “Polish Princess.” He is currently ranked 14th in the woman’s strawweight rankings. Of great concern is that she has lost five of their last seven fights including three in a row. Kowalkiewicz has never been the same since her loss to Joanna Jedrzejczyk for the strawweight championship. Xiaonan has won the first four fights of her UFC career. Last time out on June 8 she scored a unanimous decision win over Angela Hill at UFC 238.
UFC Betting Picks
On this occasion, Auckland will be backing its native son Dan Hooker. And with plenty of good reason. Hooker has the ability to score the UFC Betting win. Additionally, he will be at his best in front of his countrymen.
UFC Betting Prediction: Dan Hooker