Chase Hooper vs. Mitch Ramriez Odds
| Hooper Odds | -355 |
| Ramirez Odds | +280 |
| Over/Under | 1.5 (-140/+110) |
| Location | Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| Bout Time | 8:45 p.m. ET |
| TV/Streaming | Paramount+ |
| UFC OKC odds as of Saturday and via DraftKings. Bet on UFC OKC with our DraftKings promo code. | |
Check out the Chase Hooper vs. Mitch Ramriez prediction for UFC OKC on Saturday, July 18, along with my betting preview and breakdown.
After debuting on the UFC main roster in 2019, Chase Hooper is still just 26 years of age as he looks to get back on track in Oklahoma City this weekend. Hooper had won five consecutive bouts, spanning a two year period, as it was clear he was filling out his long frame and rounding out his game beyond his dangerous jiu-jitsu base.
However, Hooper was then knockout out in both of his last two appearances, earning him a much-needed a step down in competition. However, I am still weary about his price tag as a substantial favorite in this spot.
Here's my Hooper vs. Ramirez pick and prediction.
Tale of the Tape
| Hooper | Ramirez | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 16-5-1 | 8-3 |
| Avg. Fight Time | 9:16 | 8:32 |
| Height | 6'1" | 5'11" |
| Weight (pounds) | 155 lbs. | 155 lbs. |
| Reach (inches) | 74" | 71" |
| Stance | Southpaw | Orthodox |
| Date of birth | 9/13/1999 | 11/03/1992 |
| Sig Strikes Per Min | 4.50 | 3.51 |
| SS Accuracy | 49% | 44% |
| SS Absorbed Per Min | 3.02 | 3.98 |
| SS Defense | 39% | 37% |
| Take Down Avg | 2.43 | 0.59 |
| TD Acc | 32% | 33% |
| TD Def | 55% | 25% |
| Submission Avg | 2.1 | 0.0 |
Hooper’s opponent on Saturday will be Mitch Ramirez. Ramirez is a 33-year-old fighting out of syndicate MMA, who has yet to taste victory in his short UFC tenure; although we must give him a pass for not impressing on Dana White’s Contender Series as he had the unfortunate task of matching up with Carlos Prates.
Ramirez is certainly not a special talent, but he does have some tools that I believe can give Hooper issues in this fight. It is important to note that Hooper’s move to lightweight began with success, but two of his opponents were aging veterans Jim Miller and Clay Guida. Hooper also benefited from those older fighters’ skill sets aligning perfectly with what he is looking to do inside the octagon.
The exploitation of Hooper’s striking defense deficiencies has been the story of his last two bouts. You have to wonder what his confidence level is heading into a fight where the perception is not only that he needs to win, but that he should get his hand raised. We've seen Hooper disappoint as a favorite in the past, and while he has made tremendous strides in his kickboxing since entering the UFC at just 19 years old, how many chances can he realistically take against any lightweight that carries even a semblance of power?
I won’t begin to gas up Mitch Ramirez and claim he is a potential contender, but he has shown flashes of being a much tougher out than given credit for in this spot versus Hooper. Ramirez is a solid counter-striker that can unleash straight jabs up the middle or powerful hooks if his opponent recklessly closes the distance. Hooper is undoubtedly a slick grappler and will probably get a hold of Ramirez at various points in this fight, but it is more than plausible that he gets caught entering the pocket as he closes the distance.
Ramirez, for all of his flaws, has shown the ability to defend submissions and fight off chokes from the likes of Thiago Moises and Mike Davis. Hooper’s slick ground attacks can lead to any limb of his opponent getting tied up in a split second. However, I expect the strength of Ramirez to make life difficult for Hooper in his attempt to drag this fight to the mat.
Oddsmakers have given this clash 65% implied odds that we do not see the judges’ scorecards, which makes perfect sense as either man executing his gameplan likely means it would be a short night for their opponent. Ramirez cannot afford to be on his back for extended periods, and Hooper desperately needs to avoid kickboxing exchanges.
Hooper vs. Ramirez Pick, Prediction
The gap between these two fighters’ skill while kickboxing may not be that large, but Hooper has not reacted well to absorbing damage and I get the feeling he may even resort to pulling guard if his initial entry attempts are unsuccessful. Ramirez has the skills to land ground and pound and cause damage if that position does come to fruition.
The path to victory for Hooper remains the same every time he enters the octagon, and it may be more predictable than ever heading into this fight. Of course, his length combined with his grappling prowess may simply be too much for the smaller Ramirez to handle, and Hooper could make this look easy. With that said, he definitely has more to prove here than the average favorite with a range of -350 to -400 next to their name.
I will take my chances that Ramirez is the value side for a half unit, and I would play him down to +260.
John's Picks: Mitch Ramirez +320 (Fanatics)
