Chase Hooper Details ‘Marathon’ Career Plans Ahead of UFC Fight Night 232 Clash

Chase Hooper doesn’t want to rush his climb to the upper echelon of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's lightweight roster.

Hooper (12-3) made his promotional debut in 2019 as an undefeated 10-0-1 prospect and went on to score a first-round stoppage win over Daniel Teymur. While “The Dream” continues to show flashes of brilliance, his career has since gone back and forth as he's encountered steeper competition.

Currently 4-3 in the UFC and coming off a decision win over Nick Fiore in May, Hooper is set to take on Jordan Leavitt (11-2) at UFC Fight Night 232 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday. Reflecting on his career so far, the 24-year-old from Enumclaw, Washington, recently detailed his career strategy to stay in the game for the long run.

“The Dream” believes a slow and steady approach is the way to ensure a lengthy successful career.

“My second fight in the UFC was against a 20-fight vet in [Alex] Caceres, and I felt like he was more savvy than me; he had a better skill set than me. I think I had been a pro for two years at that time versus a guy that has been in the UFC for a decade,” Hooper said in an on UFC.com.

“At 155 [pounds], I’m in the same weight class as these vets like Dustin Poirier, Conor [McGregor], Tony Ferguson — these guys that have 20, 30 fights; a crazy amount of professional experience at the highest level. So, I’d like to stick to guys that are like myself — still gonna make some mistakes, still gonna rush in there a little — not like these vets that are gonna fight like a vet would: win on points, play the game because they know the sport so well. I like fighting people with as much experience as I have because I think it makes for better fights, better matchups.

“I’m trying to bide my time, move up the mountain a little slower, and make sure I’m still here for another 15 fights in the UFC. It’s all about taking my time. This is definitely a marathon if you want to make a living off of it.”

The UFC Fight Night 232 card will be headlined by a middleweight matchup between Brendan Allen (22-5) and former light heavyweight competitor Paul Craig (17-6).