Updated

Updated · MMA Fighting · Jul 17

Chase Hooper, Ezra Elliott Miss Weight at UFC Oklahoma City as 2 Headliners Make 185.5, 186

Updated

Updated · MMA Fighting · Jul 17

Chase Hooper, Ezra Elliott Miss Weight at UFC Oklahoma City as 2 Headliners Make 185.5, 186

Q: After his first-ever weight miss, is fan-favorite Chase Hooper’s UFC lightweight career now on the ropes?

Not yet, but Chase Hooper is at a pivotal point. The weight miss at UFC Oklahoma City is a real warning sign. Hooper came in at 157.5 pounds for a lightweight fight, 1.5 pounds over the non-title limit, triggering a 20 percent purse forfeiture and forcing the bout with Mitch Ramirez to proceed at catchweight. Because it is the first weight miss of his MMA career, it does not by itself put his UFC future in immediate jeopardy. Fighters usually get more leeway for a first offense, especially when the miss is relatively modest and the fight stays on. What makes it more serious is the timing. Hooper is a 13-fight UFC veteran and a popular prospect, but this miss comes with added scrutiny because he had reportedly been using UFC Performance Institute resources for nutrition and conditioning. A miss under those circumstances raises questions about whether 155 remains the right long-term fit or whether his preparation needs adjustment. The bigger factor is performance. If Hooper beats Ramirez convincingly, the miss is likely to be treated as a setback rather than a crisis. If he loses, especially after a public weigh-in failure, the narrative around his lightweight viability will harden quickly. So his lightweight career is not on the ropes yet, but it is under pressure. The miss alone is survivable; a poor result on Saturday would make it much more damaging.

Q: Can a welterweight legend dethrone a top middleweight contender in a high-stakes divisional jump?

Yes — Kamaru Usman can do it, but the evidence makes Dricus du Plessis the more likely winner. The matchup is real and high-stakes: both men made weight for Saturday’s UFC Oklahoma City main event, with du Plessis at 185.5 pounds and Usman at 186. It is Usman’s major move up from welterweight against a former middleweight champion who remains one of the division’s top names, and both fighters have framed it as a likely title eliminator at 185. Usman has a credible path. He is one of the UFC’s most accomplished welterweights, with a 15-fight winning streak in his prime, elite wrestling, and historically strong takedown defense. He has also argued that fighting at middleweight preserves energy by avoiding a punishing cut. There is precedent for welterweights succeeding after moving up, including Georges St-Pierre, Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland. But this specific jump is difficult. Usman is 39, giving up youth and natural size to a 32-year-old du Plessis, who is a proven middleweight with wins over elite names including Sean Strickland, Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. Du Plessis is also coming in as the betting favorite, around -230, while most expert picks lean toward him by decision. The key question is whether Usman’s wrestling can control du Plessis over five rounds. If it can, the upset is plausible. If not, du Plessis’ size, pace and middleweight durability should carry him. On balance, Usman has a real chance, but du Plessis remains the safer pick.

3 articles · Updated · MMA Fighting · Jul 17

Chase Hooper came in at 157.5 pounds for his lightweight bout with Mitch Ramirez, missing by 1.5 pounds in the first weight miss of his MMA career.
The UFC said Hooper's fight will still go ahead at catchweight, with the 26-year-old forfeiting 20% of his purse.
Ezra Elliott also missed, weighing 147.5 pounds for his featherweight opener against Damien Anderson; no fine or cancellation decision had been announced.
Dricus du Plessis and Kamaru Usman cleared the middleweight limit at 185.5 and 186 pounds, while co-main fighters Jared Cannonier and Christian Leroy Duncan also made weight.