Arman Tsarukyan delivered a dominant statement win at UFC Qatar, submitting Dan Hooker at 3 minutes and 34 seconds of round two in front of a roaring crowd that included UFC Middleweight Champion Khamzat Chimaev in his corner and Tsarukyan’s father attending for the first time since 2019. The victory cemented Tsarukyan’s claim as the number one lightweight contender as he called out champion Ilia Topuria moments after the finish and vowed he is ready for a title fight at the end of January.
Tsarukyan entered the bout with a 22–3 record and strong momentum. Earlier this year he was scheduled to fight in January, but the matchup was canceled after he suffered a back injury during his weight cut. In media day interviews this week he made his goals clear, stating that he wants the belt and that he will be champion.
Once the fight began he controlled every exchange. In the second round he took Hooker to the canvas, secured full mount, and delivered heavy ground and pound before locking up and transitioning smoothly into a tight arm triangle choke that forced the tap.
His corner featured UFC Middleweight Champion Khamzat Chimaev, whose presence added intensity to an already high-stakes moment. This fight was also meaningful for Tsarukyan because it marked the first time his father had attended one of his bouts since 2019, and he joined his son inside the cage after the victory. Tsarukyan continues to represent Armenia on the global stage with each performance and carries the pride of the Armenian community with him.
With this win Tsarukyan reinforced his position as one of the most complete fighters in the lightweight division. After the bout he declared himself the number one contender, emphasized that nobody can stop him, and called out champion Ilia Topuria by name, insisting he is ready for a title shot at the end of January.
In his post-fight interview, Tsarukyan said, “On the ground I was dangerous. On the floor I felt great and finished with a beautiful submission. I feel amazing. Thank you Qatar and thank you UFC for the opportunity to be here. My fans who came out to support me, I appreciate every one of you. It is an honor to fight here in the main event, and you can see my friends over there supporting me. And thanks to Dan, because he is the reason I fought this year. He was the only one who agreed to fight me. Everyone else ran. Especially Ilia… if you are here, come on. We need to face off. There is only one real contender and that is Arman Tsarukyan. Stop giving easy fights.”
When asked about what comes next he said, “Everybody knows I have to fight for the title. I am ready. End of January, send me the contract and I will be there.”
On Hooker he added, “Dan Hooker is tough and dangerous with his striking. He landed a couple good kicks but I could handle them. My wrestling is on another level. My striking is on another level. Nobody can stop me in the cage. I am the best in the world. I am going to be champion and defend the title as much as possible and break records. I work hard and I work smart. I dedicate my life to this sport and it pays off.”
