The epic showdown between Paul Felder and Dan Hooker lived up to its hype. Both fighters went toe-to-toe for the entirety of the five rounds, leaving every one uncertain of what the result would be.

Dan Hooker started off with an impressive first round, landing decent strikes on Felder’s face. While Felder did seem a little on the low in the first round, he picked up the pace afterward and his right hand started gaining momentum.

Dan Hooker vs Paul Felder: How the Rivalry Boils Down to One Epic Showdown

He started dishing out huge strikes towards Hooker, who seemed to have turned reserved as soon as Felder found his form. Rounds 3 and 4 continued in the same fashion.

With scores almost level on both sides, round-5 turned out to be the decisive round. Paul Felder showed amazing stamina and more energy in the round, landing more strikes than Hooker. Meanwhile, Dan seemed tired-out, which became evident from an extremely lazy body-kick attempt.

However, towards the end of the fight, Dan turned the tide around. With a sudden burst of energy, Dan grappled Felder for a takedown and managed to execute it. While on the floor, Felder struggled to get back up and almost did. Yet, Dan adapted to the on-ground gameplay and managed to get Felder back on the ground.

The intelligent gameplay at the end of the round is what provided Hooker with a little edge over Paul. Dan Hooker won the fight by split-decision.

This might be it for me: Paul Felder

After a grueling bout with Hooker, Paul Felder spoke to the in-ring commentator. He said, “That might be it for me. I’ve got a four-year-old at home that misses me every time I go away like this.” Felder broke down while completing his last sentence.

Even mid-fight, commentators were discussing how both fighters were fathers outside of the UFC

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After the impressive performance that he put up just a few moments earlier, the crowd at Auckland found it hard to believe Paul’s words. Everyone present at the arena expressed their sadness at Paul’s statement. Dan hooker showed respect to his opponent by sharing his gloves and declaring Paul Felder ‘a true winner’. The whole arena too displayed respect by granting Felder a standing ovation coupled with loud cheers.

Do you think Paul Felder will go through with his retirement?

WATCH: When Paul Felder Submitted His Opponent With Elbows