Despite his past drama, Tsarukyan is still the top ranked lightweight in the division with a 9-2 record under the UFC banner. He’s also a powerful offensive wrestler, averaging more than three takedowns per fight. Wrestlers get a bad wrap for their ground control but that doesn’t mean Tsarukyan is a boring fighter. On the contrary, “Ahalkalakets” has racked up five post-fight performance bonuses which includes two “Fight of the Night” honors. His only two losses inside the Octagon came in fights where he got outwrestled and with all due respect, that ain’t happening at UFC Qatar — though I also wouldn’t call this an easy out. Opponent Dan Hooker is coming off a split decision victory over Mateusz Gamrot and “Gamer” is the last fighter to register a victory over Tsarukyan. MMA math? Maybe, but Hooker has proven to be one of those “Any Given Saturday” fighters capable of upsetting the lightweight apple cart.

“I feel like I’ve improved in my wrestling in the last couple of years, especially with this time off, I feel like my mentality has changed a lot,” Hooker told MMA Fighting. “I feel like Charles Oliveira showed it in the [Mateusz] Gamrot fight, it’s something that you just have to do. You can’t just say I’m fighting a wrestler, I’m going to avoid the wrestling. Charles Oliveira, he started shooting takedowns. You can’t avoid anything. Anything you avoid, you’re running scared. So if Arman wants to wrestle, we can wrestle. I’ll be there for it 100 percent. If he wants to grapple, we can grapple. I’m not too concerned with that. I’m going to go out there and do what I do.” “It’s something that you can’t avoid anything,” Hooker continued. “You have to meet it head on. I’ll be happy to wrestle. As he says, ‘I’m going to wrestle him and make him tired.’ We can wrestle but we’re both going to get tired. I’m just very experienced at being tired inside of that cage. It’s not something that I’m going to shy away from. It’s not something I’m trying to avoid. If he wants to wrestle, we can wrestle but I guarantee he’s going to get tired first.”

Hooker’s been competing in UFC for well over a decade and at one point was ranked in the Top 5 at 155 pounds. “The Hangman” is currently enjoying a three-fight win streak — a place he’s been several times in the past — but consistency is not his strong suit, which is why the kiwi is more than 10 years into his UFC career and still nowhere near a division title shot. Like Tsarukyan, the 35 year-old Hooker has five post-fight performance bonuses to his credit with a trio of “Fight of the Night” honors, along with 18 finishes in 24 wins. Conversely, Hooker also has double-digit losses (12), getting finished in half of them. He’s a competent offensive wrestler with solid defense but still gets taken down by the division’s best wrestlers, giving up five takedowns to Gamrot and four to Jason Knight. How many will he surrender to Tsarukyan? That remains to be seen, but it’s also the deciding factor in a fight that I don’t expect to see a fifth round.

Belal Muhammad was welterweight champion for a grand total of one fight, pushing around Leon Edwards for 25 minutes at UFC 304 in summer 2024 only to turn around and cough up the crown to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 last May. I’m sure Muhammad is kicking himself after watching Islam Makhachev dominate the Aussie at UFC 322 last weekend in New York and may forever pay the price for his idiotic “Canelo Hands” gameplan that cost him a five-round decision. Incredibly, it sounds like “Remember the Name” will once again try to prove he’s as good (or better) than anyone else in the division when it comes to boxing. Considering Ian Garry has been able to hang with (and defeat) top shelf strikers like Michael Page, this has to be misdirection — or the dumbest gameplan in history. Tune is below for complete Match Card and event detail for UFC FightNight Tsarukyan vs. Hooker November 22nd, 2025.