There’s a reason that, after what seems like years of back-and-forth talk, Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker are finally facing off at this Saturday’s UFC Qatar.
“He’s the only one who said yes from deserving fighters,” Tsarukyan (22-3) stated during Wednesday’s UFC Qatar media day. “I was supposed to fight with [Justin] Gaethje as well, he said ‘no,’ but Hooker said ‘yes.'”
In the UFC’s official rankings, Tsarukyan currently holds the #1 spot; Gaethje clocks in at #4, but has previously said he will not fight unless it’s for a title. Charles Oliveira, Max Holloway, and Paddy Pimblett are also among the top five at lightweight.
Tsarukyan allowed that “The Hangman” is “a good fighter, good striker,” but added that “I’m on a different level.” Either way, he believes that, with a win over the #6-ranked Dan Hooker, it’s on to a title fight, after letting one slip through his fingers at the start of 2025 after pulling out of a rematch with Islam Makhachev.
“Yeah for sure. I beat Dan Hooker, I’m fighting for the title next,” stated the Armenian.
There’s a chance, if Tsarukyan does win at UFC Qatar on Saturday, that a lightweight title shot is indeed next (these things are never set in stone), but it may not necessarily come against Ilia Topuria. Topuria has suggested he’s looking at following Islam Makhachev up to welterweight, with an eye on becoming the first UFC fighter to earn a title in three weight classes.
For Arman Tsarukyan, it doesn’t matter who he faces for gold. Topuria, or anyone else. “No, for me it doesn’t matter. I want to be a champion. Who is going to be the champion, I’ll fight. I’ll take that fight.”
Should the title be vacant, meanwhile, Tsarukyan is willing to fight anyone the promotion wants him to. “Against anybody. Who the UFC gives me, I’ll fight. Probably it’s [Justin] Gaethje, or Paddy [Pimblett], or [Max] Holloway. Charles [Oliveira], he won his last fight, so he’s on the line as well.”
There’s certainly plenty of names that could be next.
Watch the full UFC Qatar media day appearance by Arman Tsarukyan above.
