Arman Gets Me There, Justin Doesn’t: Dan Hooker Explains Why Tsarukyan Fight Leads to Title
Dan Hooker remains undeterred despite entering as a significant underdog against Arman Tsarukyan in the UFC Qatar main event on November 22, 2025. The matchup represents far more than a typical lightweight contest at the ABHA Arena in Doha. UFC President Dana White has confirmed this bout will determine who faces Ilia Topuria for the lightweight championship, making it a de facto number one contender fight with the highest stakes imaginable.
Dan Hooker Slams Justin Gaethje: Arman Tsarukyan Gets Me to the Champion
Ranked seventh in the UFC lightweight division, Hooker sits comfortably in the upper echelon of the promotion despite his mixed record. The 35-year-old New Zealand fighter carries a record of 24-12 across his mixed martial arts career and has constructed an impressive three-fight winning streak heading into Qatar. Most recently, he earned a split decision victory against Mateusz Gamrot in August 2024 at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia, a bout awarded Fight of the Night honors.
The Georgian-Armenian fighter Tsarukyan enters this contest as the heavy favorite. With a professional record of 22-3 and currently ranked number two at lightweight, Tsarukyan has compiled four straight victories inside the UFC. His most recent bout came against veteran Charles Oliveira in April 2024 at UFC 300.
The narrative Hooker has crafted focuses on the perceived pressure Tsarukyan carries into this contest. Speaking to Sky Sports about the psychological edge of being a massive underdog, Hooker expressed genuine enthusiasm about facing a fighter the MMA world considers substantially more talented.
“This fight excites me because they feel like Arman is a lot better than I am. It’s like anything good that I do, Arman is going to look more like an idiot. He was supposed to be this super freak athlete, title contender, the guy to beat Ilia Topuria — they’re hiding the champion from him. And now he’s losing to Dan Hooker, the bloke from New Zealand who’s lost a third of his fights.”
Tsarukyan bears the weight of elevated expectations after months away from competition and a failed bid at the championship. A loss to Hooker would represent a significant setback for the number two ranked contender, while Hooker’s victory would cement one of the biggest upsets in recent lightweight division history.
The discussion of title implications extends beyond Tsarukyan’s future. Hooker has been vocal about why this particular fight holds more value than alternative opportunities in the lightweight title picture. During his interview, Hooker distinguished between fighting Tsarukyan and facing Justin Gaethje, who holds a position alongside Paddy Pimblett as a potential challenger to Topuria.
“Justin Gaethje is not that guy. Justin Gaethje doesn’t get me to that guy [champion]; he just gets me a headache. Arman Tsarukyan is the path to the title — that’s the path to being the champ, that’s the path to being the best guy.”
Ilia Topuria became the tenth dual-division champion in UFC history when he knocked out Charles Oliveira in the opening round at UFC 317 in June 2025. The 28-year-old Georgian has maintained an undefeated record of 17-0 across his professional career and currently ranks as number one on the UFC pound-for-pound list as of July 2025. His lightweight championship defense remains unannounced, though speculation suggests January 2025 may see him face Gaethje or potentially Pimblett depending on negotiations with the UFC.
The event marks the UFC’s inaugural outing in Qatar and represents the first Fight Night card in the region following the promotion’s announcement of a deal in July 2025. Hooker enters the bout on strong form despite his role as the underdog. His three consecutive victories demonstrate he remains capable of competing with the elite of the lightweight division. However, Tsarukyan represents the highest level of opposition Hooker will have faced in recent memory.
For Hooker, November 22 represents a career-defining opportunity. Victory would not only secure a title shot against Topuria but would validate his assertion that fights against elite competition excite him more than safer matchups lower in the rankings. For Tsarukyan, the contest functions as a necessary step to rehabilitate his candidacy for the championship after the injury-induced hiatus derailed his momentum. The stakes for both competitors could not be higher.
