“I Lose Everything” – Why Arman Tsarukyan Faces a Do-or-Die Moment at UFC Qatar
It’s a do-or-die situation for Arman Tsarukyan at UFC Qatar.
Riding a four-fight win streak, Tsarukyan has already locked in the top spot in the lightweight rankings, setting the stage for a clash with newly minted 155-pound titleholder Ilia Topuria. But if he fails in his Fight Night headliner against Dan Hooker this Saturday, it could spell disaster for the fighter who, by all accounts, is already the next man up.
“This fight means everything for me,” Tsarukyan told MMA Fighting. “If I lose, I lose everything. If I win, I win everything. It’s like a title fight for me—five rounds, main event. I must win and get my title shot. That’s why I’m very focused on this fight.”
Tsarukyan was already supposed to cash in on his title opportunity in January, challenging then-champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 311. However, Tsarukyan pulled out of the fight with 36 hours to go, citing a back injury as the reason.
The withdrawal forced the UFC to scramble for a replacement, ultimately reshuffling the top of the card and promoting Renato Moicano from the main card to the main event. That didn’t sit well with Dana White, who insisted that Tsarukyan would have to go “back to the drawing board” before earning another opportunity.
As it turns out, ‘The Hangman’ is that drawing board.
Hooker goes into the contest as a sizeable underdog, but that hasn’t been much of an issue for the surging lightweight sensation as of late.
Hooker goes into the contest having won three in a row, including back-to-back split decisions over Jalin Turner and Mateusz Gamrot. If he can score another upset in Doha, he’ll likely jump the line, setting the stage for his first-ever UFC title fight — and further delaying Tsarukyan’s long-awaited shot.
