Hooker steals show with stunning upset win over Gamrot at UFC 305

Dan Hooker, stand up.

A decade since his debut, 'The Hangman' may have saved his best for last, overcoming immense odds to earn a split decision victory over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 35 in Perth on Sunday.

The Aucklander stifled Gamrot's highly vaunted grappling game, showcasing his elite takedown defence to ensure the majority of the bout took place on the feet, where his advantage was glaring.

"How you like me now?!" Hooker screamed after the decision was announced in his favour.

The result against the No. 5 ranked Polish fighter should see Hooker - currently sitting at No. 11 - skyrocket up the lightweight rankings and towards the front of the queue of the title contenders.

A breathless encounter, the absorbing duel - a classi striker v grappler contest - earned both Hooker and Gamrot bonuses for Fight of the Night.

Hooker came out the more aggressive fighter on the feet but Gamrot quickly found his way to close the distance inside.

The first takedown came partway through the round but Gamrot could only manage a brief stay on top, with Hooker's grappling defence withstanding its first challenge.

On the back of an effective right that wobbled Hooker, Gamrot was back on top. But again, Hooker held firm, staggering the Pole with the most effective shot of the contest to date to finish the round strongly.

To start round two, Gamrot immediately went back to the well with a textbook double leg takedown in the middle of the Octagon, allowing him to operate in a dominant position albeit without doing much damage.

Hooker's dogged defence brought the fight back to the feet for the second half of the round, where his advantage was obvious.

Willing to eat shots to grab a single leg, Gamrot held on valiantly in a grappling exchange to close the third where Hooker took the upperhand with some searing elbows, again closing the round strongly with some shots in the clinch.

The third round saw more incredible takedown defence from Hooker, who was able to keep the fight on the feet and prevent Gamrot piling on any pressure points in the clinch.

The win is Hooker's third on the trot, following a TKO over Claudio Puelles and decision over Jalin Turner.

In the main event, teammate Israel Adesanya was beaten via fourth-round submission in his title challenge against Dricus Du Plessis.

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