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).