UFC Vegas 82: Brendan Allen vs. Paul Craig continues on the main card with a fight in the lightweight division between Chase Hooper and Jordan Leavitt. Hooper got back on track in his last fight making his lightweight debut as he defeated Nick Fiore meanwhile, Leavitt got back on track in a big way knocking out Victor Martinez in round one. With that said, check out our UFC odds series for our Hooper-Leavitt prediction and pick.
Chase Hooper (12-3-1) made the move up in weight to the lightweight division and looked the best he has ever looked dominating Nick Fiore on the feet and on the mat for a unanimous decision victory. He is starting to grow into his body only at 24 years old. Hooper has been making progress as well especially in his striking and he will be looking to put his progress to the test when he takes on Jordan Leavitt this weekend at UFC Vegas 82.
Jordan Leavitt (11-2) took his second UFC loss against Paddy Pimblett but was able to get back into the win column in a big way knocking out Victor Martinez with a brutal knee that landed flush on his chin. Leavitt is going to want to put some of that newfound striking arsenal on display when he takes on fellow grappler Chase Hooper this Saturday at the UFC Apex.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Vegas 82 Odds: Chase Hooper-Jordan Leavitt Odds
Chase Hooper: -205
Jordan Leavitt: +170
Over 2.5 Round: -145
Under 2.5 Rounds: +114
How to Watch Chase Hooper vs. Jordan Leavitt
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 5:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)
Why Chase Hooper Will Win
Chase Hooper looked like a brand new fighter when he moved up in weight to take on Nick Fiore in his last fight. He looked like he is finally filling out as he is getting older and he had shown vast improvements in his striking game which was apparent in that fight as well. He will take on fellow grappler Jordan Leavitt in what should be a very interesting matchup for his second fight in the lightweight division.
Hooper does his best work on the mat utilizing his variety of attacks and submissions to get the job done and while Leavitt is well-versed there it will be at his best interest to take the fight to the mat. While he has been making improvements in his striking that's not the best path to victory in this matchup. Given that Leavitt was submitted and controlled in his two losses in the UFC, the grappling will be Hooper's way of making it two in a row on Saturday night.
Why Jordan Leavitt Will Win
Jordan Leavitt much like Chase Hooper is known for his wrestling and grappling with six of his 11 victories coming by submission. However, in his last fight, he showed the evolution of his game and brutally knocked out Victor Martinez with a combination of knees and punches in the first round. He also was giving some trouble to Paddy Pimblett on his feet as well when they fought last year.
While it may be a dangerous game to play to takedown Hooper and play the Jiu Jitsu game, Leavitt can contest the fight on the mat. He also has the ability to land hands on Hooper and really hurt him on the feet. It seems as if the striking would be the easiest path to victory for Leavitt and could make it two in a row if he is able to keep this fight on the feet and at his preferred range.
Final Chase Hooper-Jordan Leavitt Prediction & Pick
This is going to be a very interesting fight between these two lightweight contenders. Both Hooper and Leavitt do their best work on the mat but they both have made a ton of progressions in their striking that they both could elect to just slug it out on the feet which is what sometimes happens when two grapplers face off with one another.
If that is the case it's hard to not side with Leavitt here just because he has fought the far better strikers during his time in the UFC and he packs more of a punch as he is a natural lightweight. Ultimately, expect this fight to play mainly on the feet where Leavitt will seem to have the power advantage and while Hooper will attempt to take the fight to the mat he's going to have a hard time getting it there as Leavitt should just outwork Hooper to a unanimous decision victory.
Final Chase Hooper-Jordan Leavitt Prediction & Pick: Jordan Leavitt (+170), Over 2.5 Rounds (-145)
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