Jefferson Nascimento, set to make his UFC debut at UFC Baku, has publicly questioned why Chase Hooper remains on the UFC roster, labeling him "easy money." The callout adds an extra layer of intrigue ahead of Nascimento's promotional debut.
Jefferson Nascimento wasted no time making himself known ahead of his promotional debut, publicly questioning why Chase Hooper still has a place on the UFC roster and calling him "easy money" as Nascimento prepares to compete at UFC Baku.
Hooper, known as "The Dream," is a 26-year-old featherweight from the United States competing out of Combat Sport and Fitness. The southpaw carries a professional record of 16-5-1 and brings a well-rounded offensive game to the cage, averaging 4.5 significant strikes landed per minute at 49 percent accuracy while also posing a consistent threat on the mat with 2.43 takedowns and 2.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. At six-foot-one with a 74-inch reach, he is a physically capable featherweight with legitimate grappling credentials.
Nascimento, meanwhile, has yet to appear in verified UFC competition data ahead of his Baku debut, meaning this callout comes from a fighter who has not yet thrown a single punch inside the Octagon. That context makes the provocation a bold opening statement, designed to generate attention before he has established any UFC track record of his own.
Why it matters
- Nascimento's callout puts Hooper on notice before the debuting fighter has even competed in the promotion
- A future matchup would pit an unproven newcomer against a fighter with meaningful UFC experience and a submission-heavy grappling game
- The callout adds immediate stakes and a potential opponent narrative around Nascimento's UFC Baku debut
- If Nascimento performs well on debut, the UFC would have a ready-made next opponent already generating public interest in the matchup
