Who is Dewey Cooper? The "Tiktok coach" Sean Strickland blamed for Marvin Vettori fallout

Dewey Cooper found himself on the receiving end of Sean Strickland's scathing tirade during the pre-fight media scrum of UFC Vegas 76. Strickland, who is set to face Abus Magomedov this weekend, held the popular striking coach accountable for UFC middleweight Marvin Vettori's recent string of disappointing performances.

Strickland disparagingly labeled Cooper as a "TikTok coach" who had a relatively modest fighting career of his own. Yet, somehow, Cooper has managed to train some of the most renowned names in MMA, including the likes of former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, Roy Nelson, and Kevin Lee. Cooper, according to Strickland, plays the part of a coach for the camera during his pep talks while having little authority in that role.

Check out Strickland's comments in the video below:

Dewey Cooper, born on November 10, 1974, is a retired American kickboxer and boxer, who competed in the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. He won the WKC (World Kickboxing Council) heavyweight and WKF (World Kickboxing Federation) cruiserweight titles in 2000 to become a two-time world champion. Cooper made a reputation for himself in the US K-1 events, coming close to defeating Michael McDonald in the 2004 K-1 grand prix, but ultimately falling short.

Cooper began training Muay Thai at a very young age under Nick Blomgren in 1994 at One Kick's Gym in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has competed in a number of K-1 tournaments against notable opponents including Jean-Claude Leuyer, Rick Roufus, and Mighty Mo.

'Black Kobra' has made a name for himself as a well-respected MMA trainer, often seen as a cornerman for some of the most prominent names in the sport including Francis Ngannou, Daniel Strauss, Roy Nelson, Kevin Lee, Marvin Vettori, and John Allesio.

Dewey Cooper's achievements in combat sports, including his world titles and contribution as a trainer, have earned him recognition, such as his induction into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 2008.

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Did Dewey Cooper train Jessie Vargas for his fight against boxing legend Manny Pacquiao?

Dewey Cooper was instrumental in preparing Jesse Vargas for his 2016 bout against Manny Pacquiao. Cooper's background training fighters from multiple combat sports disciplines made him an interesting addition to Vargas' team, despite his relative anonymity.

Training with Cooper helped Vargas unleash his punching power, which was on display in his victory over Sadam Ali. Vargas felt confident going into the fight against Pacquiao with the work he put into preparation with Cooper. Speaking about Cooper ahead of the fight, Vargas stated:

"I needed a different trainer that knew and understood me and the only name that came up was Dewey. He knows me better than any other trainer. He knows exactly what I can do and if anything needs to be changed, I can rely on him.”