Tag: Chase Hooper

UFC 250 medical suspensions: Amanda Nunes, Felicia Spencer, five others receive 180 days

UFC 250 headliners Amanda Nunes and Felicia Spencer are among seven fighters facing a lengthy suspensions for injuries sustained.

UFC women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] is among seven fighters facing lengthy medical suspensions for injuries sustained Saturday at UFC 250.

MMA Junkie obtained the full list from the Nevada Athletic Commission on Monday. Fighters can return sooner than the duration of their suspension if cleared by a doctor.

Headliners Nunes and [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] each were suspended 180 days – Nunes for an injured right tibia/fibula; Spencer for a non-displaced left orbital flor and nasal fracture.

Undercard fighters facing potential 180-day terms include Chase Hooper, Brian Kelleher, Charles Byrd, Alex Perez, and Devin Clark.

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UFC 250 took place Saturday at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card streamed on pay-per-view after prelims simulcasted on ESPN and ESPN+.

The complete list of UFC 250 medical suspensions:

  • Amanda Nunes: Suspended 180 days or until x-ray of right tibia/fibula cleared by orthopedic physician; Also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • Felicia Spencer: Suspended 18- days or until left orbital floor and nasal fracture cleared by maxillofacial surgeon; Also suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days
  • [autotag]Cody Garbrandt[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Raphael Assuncao[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days
  • [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Anthony Rocco Martin[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Eddie Wineland[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days
  • [autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until x-ray of right thumb is cleared by orthopedic physician; Also suspended for 30 days with no contact for 45 days
  • [autotag]Alex Caceres[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Ian Heinisch[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days
  • [autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until x-ray of right foot is cleared by orthopedic physician; Also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Maki Pitolo[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Charles Byrd[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until x-ray of left wrist is cleared by orthopedic physician; Also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until x-rays of right ankle, foot, and right ribs are cleared by orthopedic physician; Also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Jussier Formiga[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days
  • [autotag]Devin Clark[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until left orbital floor is cleared by maxillofacial surgeon; Also suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days
  • [autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Herbert Burns[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact or until left foot sutures cleared by physician
  • [autotag]Evan Dunham[/autotag]: No suspension

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UFC 250 post-event facts: Aljamain Sterling’s resume proves title fight worth

The best facts and figures to come out of UFC 250, which saw Amanda Nunes beat Felicia Spencer in the main event.

The UFC returned to pay-per-view Saturday with a strong fight card that went down at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas with a main card that aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

In the main event, dual-champ [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] (20-4 MMA, 13-1 UFC) continued to show that she is deserving of all-time great status when she successfully defended her women’s featherweight title [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] (8-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) with a unanimous decision and put herself into the record books.

Nunes wasn’t the only one to make history at the event, though. For more on the numbers, check below for 45 post-event facts to come out of UFC 245.

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General

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The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $266,000.

[autotag]Cody Garbrandt[/autotag], [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag], [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] and [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag] earned $50,000 UFC 250 fight-night bonuses.

UFC 250 drew an announced attendance of 0 for a live gate of $0.

Betting favorites went 8-4 on the card.

Betting favorites improved to 7-6 in UFC headliners this year.

Total fight time for the 12-bout card was 1:51:11.

Main card

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Nunes became the first in UFC history to record title defenses in two divisions while simultaneously holding multiple belt.

Nunes’ eight victories in UFC title fights are tied with Jose Aldo for third most in company history behind Jon Jones (14) and Anderson Silva (11).

Nunes’ eight victories in women’s UFC title fights are most in company history.

Nunes’ 11-fight UFC winning streak is tied for second longest among active fighters in the company behind Khabib Nurmagomedov (12).

Nunes’ 11-fight UFC winning streak in women’s competition is the longest in company history.

Spencer has suffered both of her career losses by decision.

Garbrandt (12-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) snapped his three-fight losing skid for his first victory since December 2016.

Garbrandt’s four knockout victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Eddie Wineland (eight) and T.J. Dillashaw (seven).

Garbrandt’s nine knockdowns landed in UFC bantamweight competition are tied with Dillashaw for most in divisional history.

[autotag]Raphael Assuncao[/autotag]’s (27-8 MMA, 11-5 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since July 2018.

Assuncao fell to 11-4 since he dropped to the UFC bantamweight division in August. 2011.

Assuncao suffered his first knockout loss since March 19, 2011 – a span of 3,367 days (more than nine years) and 15 fights.

Aljamain Sterling

Sterling’s (19-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak in bantamweight competition is tie with Marin Vera for the second longest active streak in the division behind Petr Yan (six).

Sterling’s 10 victories in UFC bantamweight competition are fourth most in divisional history behind T.J. Dillashaw (12), Urijah Faber (11) and Assuncao (11).

Sterling’s four submission victories in UFC bantamweight competition are third most in divisional history behind Faber (six) and Rani Yahya (five).

[autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) suffered the first submission loss of his career.

[autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag] (23-7 MMA, 16-6 UFC) 16 victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied with Matt Hughes for second most in divisional history behind Georges St-Pierre (19).

[autotag]Anthony Rocco Martin[/autotag] (17-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) fell to 5-2 since he returned to welterweight in April 2018. He’s 6-2 in the weight class overall.

Martin has suffered four of his six career losses by decision.

O’Malley’s (12-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at bantamweight is tied for the fourth longest active streak in the division behind Petr Yan (six) and Marlon Vera (five) and Sterling (five).

Preliminary card

Alex Caceres

[autotag]Alex Caceres[/autotag] (16-12 MMA, 11-10 UFC) improved to 6-4 since he returned to the UFC featherweight division in January 2015.

Caceres has earned eight of his 11 UFC victories by decision.

[autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag] (9-1-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) had his 10-fight unbeaten streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.

[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] (30-13 MMA, 6-5 UFC) has suffered 10 of his 13 career losses by stoppage.

[autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag] (19-2-1 MMA, 5-1-1 UFC) has earned all five of his UFC victories by decision.

[autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag] (21-11 MMA, 5-4 UFC) suffered his first decision loss since Sept. 21, 2013 – a span of 2,450 days (nearly seven years) and 18 fights.

[autotag]Charles Byrd[/autotag]’s (10-7 MMA, 1-3 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since March 2018.

Byrd has suffered all three of his UFC losses by knockout.

Perez (24-5 MMA, 6-1 UFC) has earned four of his six UFC victories by stoppage.

Perez earned the 12th finish in UFC history stemming from leg kicks.

[autotag]Jussier Formiga[/autotag]’s (23-8 MMA, 9-7 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since March 2019.

Formiga has suffered all four of his UFC stoppage losses by knockout.

[autotag]Devin Clark[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) earned consecutive victories for the first time in his UFC career. He’s alternated wins and losses over his past nine appearances.

Clark has earned all six of his UFC victories by decision.

[autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) had his nine-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.

[autotag]Herbert Burns[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned eight of his nine career stoppage victories by submission.

[autotag]Evan Dunham[/autotag]’s (18-9-1 MMA, 11-9-1 UFC) four-fight winless skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since September 2016.

Dunham suffered jus the second submission loss of his career and first since Nov. 16, 2013 – a span of 2,394 days (more than six years) and 10 fights.

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.

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UFC 250 salaries: Amanda Nunes leads way with half-a-million-dollar purse

In total, UFC 250 had five fighters earning six-figure paydays.

UFC women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] topped the list of UFC 250 fighter payouts.

On Saturday, MMA Junkie acquired a list of fighter salaries from the Nevada Athletic Commission. Nunes (20-4 MMA, 13-1 UFC) earned $500,000 for her winning effort against [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] in the UFC 250 main event. As for Spencer (8-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC), the title challenger took home $125,000 in defeat.

The second-highest paid athlete on the card, former bantamweight champion [autotag]Cody Garbrandt[/autotag], took home $260,000 for his knockout of [autotag]Raphael Assuncao[/autotag], who earned $79,000.

Other fighters earning six-figure paydays include [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] ($152,000), [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag] ($158,000), and [autotag]Alex Caceres[/autotag] ($116,000).

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UFC 250 took place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card aired on pay-per-view after prelims simulcasted on ESPN/ESPN+.

The full list of UFC 250 salaries included:

  • Amanda Nunes: $500,000 (includes $150,000 win bonus) def. Felicia Spencer: $125,000
  • Felicia Spencer: $200,000 (includes $75,000 win bonus) def. Amanda Nunes: $350,000
  • Aljamain Sterling: $152,000 (includes $76,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag]: $80,000
  • Cody Garbrandt: $260,000 (includes $130,000 win bonus) def. Raphael Assuncao: $79,000
  • Neil Magny: $158,000 (includes $79,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Anthony Rocco Martin[/autotag]: $48,000
  • [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag]: $80,000 (includes $40,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Eddie Wineland[/autotag]: $46,000
  • [autotag]Alex Caceres[/autotag]: $116,000 (includes $58,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag]: $27,000
  • [autotag]Ian Heinisch[/autotag]: $80,000 (includes $40,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: $33,000
  • [autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag]: $72,000 (includes $36,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag]: $33,000
  • [autotag]Maki Pitolo[/autotag]: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Charles Byrd[/autotag]: $12,000
  • [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag]: $80,000 (includes $40,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Jussier Formiga[/autotag]: $98,000
  • [autotag]Devin Clark[/autotag]: $96,000 (includes $48,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag]: $14,000
  • [autotag]Herbert Burns[/autotag]: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. [autotag]Evan Dunham[/autotag]: $60,000

The figures do not include deductions for items such as insurance, licenses and taxes. Additionally, the figures do not include money paid by sponsors, including the official UFC 250 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay. They also do not include any other “locker room” or special discretionary bonuses the UFC sometimes pays. They also do not include pay-per-view cuts that some top-level fighters receive.

For example, UFC officials will hand out additional $50,000 UFC 250 fight-night bonuses.

In other words, the above figures are simply base salaries reported to the commission and do not reflect entire compensation packages for the event.

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UFC 250 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: 2020 total passes $2 million

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 250 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $266,000.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 250 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $266,000.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC 250 took place at UFC Apex. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

The full UFC 250 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag]: $40,000
[autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag]: $30,000

[autotag]Raphael Assuncao[/autotag]: $20,000
[autotag]Cody Garbrandt[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag]: $10,000
[autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag]: $20,000
[autotag]Anthony Rocco Martin[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Eddie Wineland[/autotag]: $15,000
[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Alex Caceres[/autotag]: $20,000
[autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Ian Heinisch[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag]: $5,000
[autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Charles Byrd[/autotag]: $4,000
[autotag]Maki Pitolo[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Jussier Formiga[/autotag]: $15,000
[autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Alonzo Menifield[/autotag]: $3,500
[autotag]Devin Clark[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Evan Dunham[/autotag]: $20,000
[autotag]Herbert Burns[/autotag]: $3,500

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Reebok’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $3,500 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,000; 6-10 bouts get $5,000; 11-15 bouts earn $10,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $15,000; and 21 bouts and more get $20,000. Additionally, champions earn $40,000 while title challengers get $30,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2020 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $2,329,500
2019 total: $7,370,500
2018 total: $6,901,000
2017 total: $6,295,000
2016 total: $7,138,000
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $33,334,000

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Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC 250 with lots of Queen, Biggie, Eminem

Check out the complete list of fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC 250 event.

While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.

Inside, see what the fighters from UFC 250 went with as their backing tracks in Las Vegas.

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Chase Hooper has measured response to UFC 250 loss, then roasts ‘pops’ Ben Askren

Chase Hooper seems to have taken the first loss of his career in stride.

[autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag] lost his undefeated status on Saturday – but he didn’t lose his sense of humor.

Hours after his UFC 250 unanimous decision loss to Alex Caceres, Hooper (9-1-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) issued a statement on Twitter. He voiced an optimistic outlook, saying he’s focused on improvement.

“Fought a veteran with more UFC fights than I have years of being alive, and I went the distance with him,” Hooper said. “It was a tough fight, and he had a solid game plan and good defense. Now it’s time to suck it up, get back to the gym, work on the stand up move on to the next one.”

Not only did Hooper issue a statement, he posted a response to former UFC welterweight [autotag]Ben Askren[/autotag]. Similarities in appearance between Hooper and Askren have been a running joke on social media and in interviews.

At UFC 250, Hooper absorbed numerous strikes from Caceres and was even knocked down at one point. In response to Askren, Hooper joked he didn’t inherit his chin from his father – a subtle jab at Askren’s UFC 239 KO loss to Jorge Masvidal.

Sorry, Pops… Glad I at least got my mom’s chin tho.

UFC 250 took place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

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UFC 250 results: Alex Caceres dominates Chase Hooper for unanimous decision victory

Chase Hooper entered UFC 250 with a lot of buzz, but Alex Caceres didn’t let the hype get to him.

[autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag] entered UFC 250 with a lot of buzz, but [autotag]Alex Caceres[/autotag] didn’t let the hype get to him.

Caceres (16-12 MMA, 11-10 UFC) defeated Hooper (9-1-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) by unanimous decision on Saturday night.

From the opening bell, Caceres exposed the difference in skill in the striking department. Throughout the fight, Caceres popped Hooper with clean jabs and straight punches. Hooper never was able to create consistent success. Apart from a few punches and semi-dominant grappling positions, Hooper was largely outmatched.

In the first round, Hooper was dropped as he walked straight into a Caceres counter-punch. In the second round, Caceres picked Hooper apart. Striking was Caceres’ key to success, and he neutralized Hooper’s grappling. In Round 3, Hooper struggled to muster up offense, even pulling guard at one point. When the scorecards were read, it was a clean sweep for Caceres, 30-27 across the board.

With the victory, Caceres hands Hooper his first loss. Caceres, who has been in the UFC since 2011, is on a winning streak for the first time since 2016.

The featherweight bout closed out the UFC 250 preliminary card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+ ahead of the main card on pay-per-view.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 250 results include:

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UFC 250: 4 rising stars ready to shine in Las Vegas

Take a look at some of the sport’s brightest prospects featured on the fight card at UFC 250.

Saturday, UFC 250 sees the UFC Apex host a pay-per-view event for the first time when some of the sport’s brightest prospects get ready to showcase their potential on the big stage in Las Vegas.

Headlining the event is a fight between two-division UFC women’s champion Amanda Nunes and challenge Felicia Spencer. Nunes is putting her 145-pound title on the line for the first time.

Also on the card is a pivotal bantamweight clash between Aljamain Sterling and Cory Sandhagen, who are looking to cement themselves as the No. 1 contender at 135 pounds.

And Dana White’s Contender Series alums Sean O’Malley, Alonzo Menifield and Chase Hooper all will look to remain unbeaten as they continue to climb up the ranks in their divisions.

UFC 250 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

Ahead of fight night, let’s take a closer look at four fighters on the rise at UFC 250.

Cory Sandhagen

Elevation Fight Team’s [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] has dazzled since joining the UFC roster in January 2018.

Displaying a creative and technical style, the well-rounded Sandhagen (12-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) quickly showed off his skills, stopping his first three opponents in the UFC.

He was given a big step up in competition when he was matched up with the hard-hitting John Lineker, and Sandhagen was able to use his footwork and movement to outmaneuver the Brazilian powerhouse.

He then faced Raphael Assuncao at UFC 241 this past August and picked up a dominant decision win over the 135-pound staple for his biggest victory to date.

Five UFC fights into his career, Sandhagen finds himself on the cusp of a title shot when he takes on fellow streaking bantamweight Aljamain Sterling at UFC 250.

Next up: “The Suga Show” looks for sweet return

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Chase Hooper embracing quirky side of MMA: ‘This is a ridiculous job, and I can’t take it too seriously’

Chase Hooper has fought just once inside the UFC’s famed octagon, but the 20-year-old’s personality has earned him more attention than most.

LAS VEGAS – Believe it or not, [autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag] has fought just once inside the UFC’s famed octagon.

One could easily think it’s been more, given the amount of attention he received both before and after that UFC 245 appearance this past December. He’s the M&M guy, who at just 20 years old wouldn’t be old enough to have a drink in Las Vegas, so he settled for some custom candies, instead.

He’s also a UFC Fight Pass news correspondent – famous for acting as if he was Ben Askren’s son and asking Jorge Masvidal why he had to brutalize his dad.

“I just have fun with it,” Hooper told MMA Junkie. “Like, I met the guys from Fight Pass for my last fight right before my debut, and they were super cool, and we kind of became buddies. That’s how I’ve been getting these opportunities; they’re like, ‘Oh, hey, we could do this,’ and then they ask the higher-ups at Fight Pass, and they’re usually like, ‘All right, yeah, let’s do it.’ It’s cool to get the exposure, but it’s not anything more than us just trying to do cool stuff and put cool content out there.

“I’m happy for the opportunity to be able to kind of show my personality off a little more, and it’s definitely crazy to have this much going on already with only one fight in the UFC because it feels like I’ve been here a long time just because of all the stuff I’ve been doing with them.”

Of course, Hooper (9-0-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is also a UFC featherweight prospect, as well. At Saturday’s UFC 250, he’ll step in against Alex Caceres (15-12 MMA, 10-10 UFC), a longtime veteran who made his promotional debut when Hooper was just 11.

Hooper admits he actually didn’t watch many fights in his younger days but is still familiar with Caceres’ work.

“I’ve definitely seen him coming up,” Hooper said. “I wasn’t like a huge fan of watching fights until I really started getting into the fighting part of stuff, when I started doing MMA. But yeah, he was on one of the cards that my coach was on back in the day around 2011, so he’s definitely been in the game for a while.

“As soon as they brought the name up, I immediately recognized it. But yeah, I think that’s what I’m here to do, is to try and fight the best guys and just show how good my skillset is, so it will be a good test against a veteran guy – but he’s also got all the wear and tear from being in the UFC for the past nine, 10 years, that I don’t have coming in at 20. We’ll see how it goes.”

At just 20, Hooper is going to be less experienced than just about any opponent he could possibly face. But “The Teenage Dream” said he really does believe his youth provides a real physical advantage.

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“I don’t think that there’s a way that you can have 20 fights in the UFC and not wake up up stiff every single morning and kind of hating life a little bit,” Hooper said. “Even the training I’ve done, I’ve got a little bit, but I know that one you start getting older, your body’s not recovering as well. I can spar hard every single day of the week if I really wanted to and recover the next day. Obviously I don’t want to do that to my brain, but yeah, I think the recovery of being 20 years old is a key benefit that I have in this fight.”

So Hooper believes he’s got time on his side and is in no rush to charge up the UFC’s featherweight rankings. In the meantime, he believes he can gain valuable experience while also enjoying himself in the process. And if that means some might see him as a gimmick for the time being, that doesn’t really bother him all that much.

“I don’t really care,” Hooper said. “At the end of the day, it’s like, this is a ridiculous job, and I can’t take it too seriously. If people associate me with the Masvidal thing or Ben Askren at first, and that gets my name out there, that’s not a knock on me – that’s me kind of doing the right thing and accepting it. Growing up younger, I came up with the meme culture, I guess. That’s always been a part of my life with the cell phones and the Internet and the memes, and I feel like I can just kind of embrace that stuff, and I think it’s more genuine when I do because if I find it funny, that’s what I want to go with.

“I don’t look like a serious type of guy, so I don’t want to be that guy. That’s not my personality, so I think people would just see right through that, and it would’t go over as well. So I’m just kind of doing my thing and having fun with it, and just really trying to enjoy the time that I have in the UFC. I’ve already done it so far, but the rest of my career, I want to just have a good time and enjoy it. I don’t want to dread every fight or every interview or anything like that. I just want to have fun with it and enjoy myself.”

Picking up another UFC win would certainly provide a little more joy. Hooper believes he can do exactly that on Saturday, and he’ll look to continue his current trajectory.

“It seems like they’re just going to keep putting cards out, so if I can keep getting on those, keep getting good fights, as long as I don’t get hurt or anything, I’m just going to keep it rolling as much as I can and try to build myself in and outside of the octagon,” Hooper said.

UFC 250 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

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