Chase Hooper vs. Nick Fiore Prediction: Will Chase Hooper Bounce Back at UFC Fight Night?
Chase Hooper is back in the octagon this weekend, facing Nick Fiore at UFC Fight Night. Will Chase Hooper bounce back? Ben Rajavuori shares his best bet for the fight.
Ben Rajavuori - May 20, 2023, 9:30 AM EDT
5 minChase Hooper vs. Nick Fiore Prediction: Will Chase Hooper Bounce Back at UFC Fight Night?
Chase Hooper is back in the octagon this weekend as he faces a new face in the UFC, Nick Fiore. Fiore fought in Combat Zone on the regional scene before getting picked up by the UFC after going 6-0 to start his professional career. His debut did not go his way, as Mateusz Rebecki dominated him. Hooper also is coming off a loss after a stoppage loss to Steve Garcia. Nick Fiore is a slight favorite at -130, but I am not sold on his being favored in this spot.
Chase Hooper vs. Nick Fiore Start Time and Where to Watch
Date: Saturday, May 20, 2023
Start Time: 4:00 pm ET
Where to Watch: ESPN+
Chase Hooper vs. Nick Fiore Prediction
Chase Hooper enters this fight with an 11-3-1 record, with four wins by KO and five wins by submission, which is his preferred method of victory. This is Hooper’s seventh fight in the UFC, and he is currently 3-3 up to this point. It’s important to note that while his UFC record may not be impressive, Hooper entered the UFC as the youngest fighter in the promotion after just turning 19. At 23 years old with six fights under his belt, he has fought much better opposition than Fiore up to this point.
Nick Fiore enters this fight with a 6-1 record with two KOs and four submissions. However, he dropped his UFC debut to Mateusz Rebecki after entering the UFC a perfect 6-0. Fiore is a great grappler himself, so it’s likely that this fight will play out on the ground.
This is Hooper’s first fight at lightweight after spending all of his MMA career up to this point at featherweight. I like the step up in weight for him, as he was an extremely skinny featherweight, and now that he is growing into his body more as a 23-year-old, the extra muscle will help immensely in his grappling. Hooper wants this fight on the ground, and Fiore will be more than happy to bring it to him.
When it comes to grappling, I favor Hooper as the better grappler. He has fought better fighters and has more fights under his belt. He has also done grappling matches in Fury Pro Grappling in between UFC fights to keep his ground game even sharper. I predict that Hooper will win this fight on the ground, most likely by submission.
While both fighters are skilled grapplers, I believe that Hooper’s experience and skill set will give him the edge in this fight. Fiore does not have the power to overwhelm Hooper on the feet, and the fighters that have beat Hooper in the UFC have all had better power that threw Hooper off his game. Hooper and Fiore will elect to take this fight to the ground, and Hooper will simply outclass him with his grappling and get a submission win. It could be by a more rare submission like a heel hook or even a calf slicer, but either way, Hooper will get the tap and his hand raised.
Chase Hooper vs. Nick Fiore Picks
- 2 Unit Pick: Chase Hooper ML +110 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds for this pick.
- 1 Unit Pick: Chase Hooper by Submission +380 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds for this pick.
UFC Odds
