Why Arman Tsarukyan is Thankful to Dan Hooker after UFC Qatar Win
Arman Tsarukyan is thankful for Dan Hooker this Thanksgiving.
Despite being the top-ranked contender in the lightweight division, Tsarukyan was more than willing to put his spot on the line against anyone willing to step up and sign on the dotted line. And according to the Armenian, Hooker was the only one ready to put his money where his mouth is.
Headlining UFC’s big debut in Qatar, Tsarukyan left no question as to who’s first in line for a crack at Ilia Topuria’s lightweight crown after handily defeating ‘The Hangman’ via a second-round submission.
Afterward, Tsaruykayn commended Hooker for showing up in Doha and giving the Armenian an opportunity to solidify his spot at the time.
“This is a game, a business,” Tsarukyan told reporters following the victory. “It’s fighting, but I don’t have anything personal with you. You’re the man. You’re the only guy who fought with me. If you didn’t take this fight, I wouldn’t be here. Thank you. He was really just the one guy who wanted to fight me, and I want to say thank you to him because I got that experience, the money, the attention – everything – from this.”
But despite a five-fight win streak and the No. 1 ranking, Tsarukyan’s title opportunity is far from guaranteed. Currently, everyone, including the UFC, seems far more interested in giving Paddy Pimblett a shot at Topuria.
Understandable considering the long-standing beef between Topuria and the Liverpudlian, but Tsarukyan can’t see the UFC brass passing him up for a guy whose most notable wins are against Tony Ferguson, King Green, and Michael Chandler.
“It’s 100 percent got to be me. No way they can give Paddy Pimblett that fight,” Tsarukyan said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “Everybody going to laugh at them because I’m the No. 1 contender. I proved it again. What do they want from me, you know? I went there, performed, just destroy Dan Hooker, and they want to put the guy who is fake making rank?”
“How you can beat like a No. 12, or No. 13 and became No. 5? I was beating everybody in our division,” Tsarukyan added. “I was on a five or six win streak to get in the Top 15. This guy just beats six people and like he’s No. 5,” Tsarukyan said. “Hopefully it’s a title fight next.”
Working against Tsarukyan is the fact that the UFC already booked him for a lightweight title fight last year, only for him to back out on 48 hours’ notice due to an alleged back injury. Frustrated, Dana White said that Tsarukyan would have to “go back to the drawing board” if he hopes to get another shot at gold inside the Octagon.
Was his win over Hooker enough to get him back in the good graces of UFC matchmakers?
