UFC Fight Night 65 Preliminary Card Results: Dan Hooker Shocks Hatsu Hioki

Airing live on UFC Fight Pass, the UFC Fight Night 65 preliminary card is done tonight (Sat., May 9, 2015) from the Adelaide Entertainment Center in Adelaide, Australia.

The featured prelim bout showcased the return of Japanese featherweight Hatsu Hioki, who took on New Zealand’s Dan Hooker. Both fighters landed some decent shots early on, with Hioki suffering a temporary eyepoke. Hioki was light on his feet as he worked body kicks and a combination, gaining a takedown to mount Hooker (yeah, it had to be said). But a beautiful reversal from Hooker took the fight back to the feet before the round ended. Hioki got another takedown in the second but Hooker got back up to land a kick as Hioki followed up with a combo. Hioki hurt Hooker with a strong body kick, but Hooker somehow immediately turned the tables with a jaw-dropping high kick and some follow-up shots that knocked Hioki out.

Australian fan favorite Kyle Noke battled late replacement Jonavin Webb. Webb landed some good counters on a stalking Noke early, following with a trip takedown to attempt an ankle lock. It failed, but Webb ended the round on Noke’s back. Webb dropped Noke early in the second to land in his guard, but the Aussie reversed to land some strikes from the top. Webb sought a heel hook but Noke rolled out only to eat a huge counter shot right before the bell.

Seeking a three-fight UFC win streak, Aussie judoka Dan Kelly put his undefeated 9-0 MMA record on the line against knockout artist ‘Smile’N’ Sam Alvey. It didn’t last long, as Kelly suffered his first-ever loss after Alvey floored him with a string of vicious right hooks that dropped Kelly three times in a row to earn the stoppage.

Continuing the streak The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) veterans, former Invicta FC strawweight title challenger Bec Rawlings met bitter TUF rival Lisa Ellis. After an early takedown and armbar attempt by Ellis, Rawlings got up to drop Ellis with a huge knee and lock on a fight-ending rear-naked choke.

New Zealand’s TUF veteran Dylan Andrews took on Brad Scott and dropped him twice, but Scott persevered to land some big strikes of his own before Andrews ended the round with a takedown. Scott landed some big uppercuts in the second before a phantom eyepoke on Andrews halted the action. Scott found top position when the fight restarted, softening Andrews up with an elbow and locking on a tight mounted guillotine choke to score the upset finish.

TUF 20 alum Alex Chambers met touted prospect Kailian Curran, who came out aggressive with some big shots. Chambers secured a few takedowns but overall Curran was the much more active fighter. She kept it up in the second with varied strikes, flooring Chambers to land a flurry of ground shots. Curran got a takedown early in the third, but Chambers locked on a kimura and switched to an armbar from the guard to earn an amazing come-from-behind tapout.

Vik Grujic and Brendan O’ Reilly fought a welterweight bout of Australian rivals, with O’Reilly securing a takedown and Grujic landing some hard shots early. It became an all-out slugfest in the second as both fighters traded huge shots prior to Grujic nearly locking up a submission at the bell. Despite being noticeably fatigued, the gritty Grujic landed some aggressive shots early in the last round. O’Reilly countered with two late takedowns to win the unanimous decision.

The UFC Fight Night 65 preliminary card began with Alptekin Ozkilic vs. Ben Nguyen at flyweight. Nguyen made a thunderous UFC debut despite some takedowns from Ozkilic, flooring the Turk with a huge left hand and some follow-up punches to earn the stoppage with just one second left in the first.

UFC Fight Night 65 Preliminary Card Results:

Dan Hooker def. Hatsu Hioki via R2 KO (head kick, 4:13)

Kyle Noke def. Jonavin Webb via split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)

Sam Alvey def. Dan Kelly via R1 TKO (punches, 0:49)

Bec Rawlings def. Lisa Ellis via R1 submission (rear-naked choke, 4:09)

Brad Scott def. Dylan Andrew via R2 submission (guillotine choke, 4:54)

Alex Chambers def. Kailin Curran via R3 submission (armbar, 3:15)

Brendan O’Reilly def. Vik Grujic via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Ben Nguyen def. Alptekin Ozkilic via R1 TKO (punches, 4:59)