Chase Hooper punches Peter Barrett in their featherweight bout during the UFC 256 event at UFC APEX on December 12, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Chase Hooper was just 18 years old when the UFC offered him a developmental contract in 2018. “The Teenage Dream” looked the part — the wiry jiu-jitsu ace used his baby-faced charm to become a social media sensation for the UFC.
He had the skills to boot. Hooper’s unconventional grappling style stumped his regional opponents, earning him an undefeated record prior to competing on the biggest stage in mixed martial arts. UFC opponents are different, however. Hooper won an impressive TKO victory in his first UFC bout in 2019. After that, the featherweight traded wins and losses for the next three years.
But much has changed since Hooper’s first fights with the UFC. Now 24, Hooper is married. He dropped the “Teenage” from his nickname, now going simply by “The Dream.” He’s moved up to lightweight, where he’s off to a crushing 3-0 start in his new division.
Perhaps most importantly, Hooper is now a father to his 10-week-old daughter Ellie.
“It’s definitely been a difficult journey,” Hooper told RG of growing up in the bright lights of the UFC. “I was still figuring out everything, like how to buy a house, how to pay my bills, how to pay taxes. But I think I’m definitely starting to find my groove in and out of the cage. I’m starting to figure out how to live with this type of career.”
Like many others in his position, fighting was once a selfish endeavor for Hooper. He reflected on his earliest fights as a way to deal with loneliness and get out frustrations. Back then, he acknowledged, he won primarily with aggression and talent. Strategy came second.
Things are different now, Hooper said. For one, he’s thinking about a lot more than just himself.
“Losing a fight, the worst thing was probably on the ego,” Hooper said. “But now, I need to provide. It’s for a purpose now. I’m not just fighting for myself. I’m fighting so that my daughter can be in a better position than I was growing up.”
Maturing in his personal life ran parallel with him maturing in the cage. Hooper moved up to lightweight in 2023 as he grew into his 6’1” frame. He’s been gradually sharpening up his striking to meet his grappling prowess, both of which were on full display in his most recent fight against Viacheslav Borschev — a dangerous Russian kickboxer who Hooper submitted via D’Arce Choke.
Wins like that have done wonders for his confidence, Hooper said. Admittedly a victim of imposter syndrome during his earlier UFC fights, Hooper said he now feels at home with his fellow lightweights when he looks at the rankings.
Moving forward, Hooper thinks his biggest asset is his unconventional style.
“I have some of the best jiu-jitsu in the division,” he said. “That’s kind of a niche skill set; that’s not super common. So I think having a weird style, it’s hard to prepare for. I think I can catch a lot of these guys … there’s definitely some winnable fights in the outer edge of the top 15.”
Hooper has been able to draw some inspiration from fellow lightweight Paddy Pimblett, the 29-year-old Englishman who exploded onto the UFC scene in 2021 and is currently ranked 15th in Hooper’s division.
Like Hooper, Pimblett leans heavier on his jiu-jitsu than most of today’s fighters, but that hasn’t appeared to hold him back on his 6-0 UFC run. It’s encouraging for Hooper to see his fellow grappling specialist succeed at such a high level — albeit with the help of “some really clever matchmaking,” as Hooper puts it.
“I would love to grapple with him and see how good he is,” Hooper said. “Obviously, you see he’s got a weird style. He’s not the best striker, he’s not the best wrestler, but he has some really solid jiu-jitsu. And look where it’s getting him.”
Presumably, Hooper isn’t far off. At three consecutive wins and counting, Hooper could crack into the top 15 as early as next year if he keeps finding success. It’d be a sight to behold for UFC fans, many of whom still remember Hooper as the win-again-lose-again teenage featherweight.
Hooper knows he’s a different fighter now. He’s a different person, too, one who’s not outwardly concerned how the broader UFC fan base sees him — so long as they remember him.
“For the most part, the only time that the fans see you is when you’re in the cage fighting; 15, 20 minutes at a time. They hold on to that image of you,” Hooper said. “But honestly, I don’t mind that much. It’s still good to be the young fighter. If nobody cares who you are, that’s probably the worst spot to be in in this sport … I think I just had to shake that label off, at least in my own head.”
Erik Uebelacker is a legal reporter for Courthouse News Service, where he covers high-profile trials in New York City. In his spare time, he likes to write about people punching each other in the face.
