Peter Barrett expects to KO Chase Hooper in the first: “He blocks punches with his face”

Peter Barrett believes the UFC and Chase Hooper made a mistake by taking this fight.

At UFC 256, Hooper is set to return to the Octagon after his first career loss to battle Barrett, who lost his promotional debut earlier this year. However, for the 34-year-old in Barrett, he believes the UFC is rooting for Hooper to win as they have high expectations for him.

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“I mean I would imagine so, they have invested so much money into this kid. They gave him the developmental deal where they were paying him and they put so much money into him that they wouldn’t want him to lose. Who knows,” Barrett said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I’m not part of those conversations I’m just going in there to take his head off.”

Although Barrett believes the UFC wants Hooper to win, he doesn’t see that happening. “Slippery Pete” has watched Hooper’s last fight against Alex Caceres several times and doesn’t see how he wins. He knows the 21-year-olds wrestling is not the best and if he can’t get it to the ground, Hooper is in trouble.

“He does (seem durable) and I don’t want to take anything away from Alex Caceres but he doesn’t hit as hard as I do. I watched that fight again to make sure the things I remember seeing and still see them,” Barrett explained. “He got tagged several times in the first where if I landed those he would not be getting back up. He walked into a lot of the big shots, he did get dropped, so if I come out with some high intensity I will put him away pretty fast.”

Ultimately, for Peter Barrett, the gameplan of this fight is simple. Stuff the takedowns, work the body, and then find the head. If he does all that, he expects to knock out the prospect in the first round.

“I mean, honestly everything we have been working on is to work the body, get his hands low and knock the boy out. Everything I have been focused on is getting a first-round finish. He blocks punches with his face,” Barrett concluded. “I assume he will be a bit more polished in this fight, but at the same time, his striking is so rudimentary I can see everything from a mile away. To be honest, I just don’t see this fight hitting the second round.”

Who do you think will win, Peter Barrett or Chase Hooper?