Steven Peterson expects to KO Chase Hooper in the first round: “Just totally beat him down with violence”

Steven Peterson asked for Chase Hooper and he got his wish.

Back in January, Peterson revealed to BJPENN.com he was out of his February 6 fight against Seung Woo Choi due to an injury. However, during the interview, he called out Hooper, yet, he didn’t expect the UFC to give him that fight. But, he got his wish as he’ll face the grappling ace at UFC 263.

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“No, I really didn’t. When he fought Alex Caceres, everyone said it was a mismatch,” Peterson said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I feel like I’m a lot worse of a matchup for Chase Hooper and I thought they were trying to protect him. But, I guess it’s time to either sink or swim.”

Against Hooper, Peterson is well aware he needs to avoid the imanari rolls that he goes for. However, after studying his fights against Alex Caceres and Peter Barrett, Peterson is confident he can pick apart the prospect and eventually KO him in the first round.

“I don’t care how good of a jiu-jitsu practitioner you are, you don’t want to get caught in an imanari roll. It’s something you want to avoid, someone going after your legs you want to get your legs out of there,” Peterson said. “I plan on hitting him, I plan on hitting him a lot and just totally beat him down with violence. Just breaking him down over the first round and take him out towards the end of the first round… He has a pretty good chin but the thing I’ve noticed is these guys are scared to go to the ground with him. Alex Caceres put him down and one or two more shots would’ve put him away. I’m that dude where if I knock him down I’m going to hop on him and put him away. I’m not afraid to go to the ground with the kid and he’s in for a hell of a fight.”

Although Hooper’s last fight was six months ago and could’ve made improvements, Peterson is still confident his striking will be too much for him. The Fortis MMA fighter also grew up as a grappler so he knows Hooper won’t be able to submit him. With that, he says he’s confident if the fight hits the mat.

“He looks sloppy the entire first and second round and then he landed the imanari roll,” Peterson said. “It was slick so you have to give it to the kid but I don’t think he will have the opportunity to do that against me. I’m way too violent for him and I’m going to take him out.”

If Steven Peterson gets his hand raised at UFC 263 he knows it would be big for his career. He says he’d start to get the hype he deserves and start making a run to the featherweight ranks.

“It gets me the hype I feel I deserve. I’ve been fighting for 13 years and I think he has everything I’ve been working for,” Peterson concluded. “He’s probably making just as much if not more than me. I saw one thing that he was making $29k and $29k. He’s getting paid more than me so I feel like I deserve that. I’m going to go out there and prove it. A win over Chase Hooper gets me a win I deserve.”

Do you think Steven Peterson will KO Chase Hooper?