LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – The Lightweight Chase Hooper era is here.
Hooper picked up a big win at UFC Vegas 73 last night (Sat., May 20, 2023) when he defeated Nick Fiore from inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
After ten fights at Featherweight, “The Dream” successfully moved up in weight to Lightweight and looked phenomenal in his best UFC performance to date.
In his last few fights, Hooper hinted that he was cutting a lot of weight to make the 145 weight class. However, during his post-fight interview with the media, he finally revealed how much he was cutting, which was a ton.
“I was probably walking around at like 185, which, I mean, I was still making [the weight], but the issue is my body would stop with the diet,” Hooper told MMA Mania. “My body would stop losing weight at about 170, 175. So, I had to switch the last couple of weeks in my fight camps to protein shakes only. Protein shakes, and then I would have little packets of honey before training. So I was murdering myself, trying to get down to 145. And I had to be vegetarian that whole time too. I was really restricting myself in and out of fight camp, just trying to fight puberty and stay at 145. I think at the end [I was] doing more harm than good. But I feel great at 155 now.”
Chase Hooper reveals he was walking around 185 lbs when he was fighting at featherweight, and was only consuming onions and protein drinks to make weight#UFCVegas73 pic.twitter.com/elaz25IZut
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) May 20, 2023
So yeah, cutting 40 pounds could not have been very good for Hooper, but he doesn’t regret it because it was an “experience.” The 23-year-old may look like a young skinny stick figure, but he carries a lot of weight and has grown into his body.
As for what’s next, he plans to take the summer off and return in the Fall and hopes to fight another jiu-jitsu specialist.
For complete UFC Vegas 73 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.