UFC Fight Night 168: Main event fighter teases retirement

This might be the end of the road inside the Octagon for The Irish Dragon Paul Felder. The #6 ranked Lightweight was on a good streak, having most recently gotten a win back over Edson Barboza after losing to him years before.

Felder faced Dan Hooker in the main event of UFC Auckland and it went the distance, with both men giving everything they had for five rounds. In the end, Felder looked like he was on the receiving end of more damage as his face was red and eye swollen shut.

Hooker ended up winning a razor-thin split decision - with many now believing that the decision should have gone the other way. Felder was above on significant strikes, head strikes, and body strikes, but Hooker perhaps changed the minds of one (or two) judges at the end when he secured a takedown.

An emotional Felder said that he has a young child at home who misses him when he goes to work the way he does and he teared up saying that it could be the end for him. He will still be on the commentary booth in the coming month. It would be a great way to go out and if not, a rematch with Edson Barboza would be ideal.

Dan Hooker and Paul Felder at the hospital together. Two absolute warriors. From Felder’s Instagram: https://t.co/oQS1qn1RHq pic.twitter.com/Yj7rDGavLZ

— Marc Raimondi (@marc_raimondi) February 23, 2020