Arman Tsarukyan News

Curtis Calhoun - December 10, 2025

Islam Makhachev came to his former rival Arman Tsarukyan’s defense after the recent announcement of the Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett fight. Arman Tsarukyan will have to wait a while longer for another shot at the UFC lightweight belt after UFC CEO Dana White’s recent remarks.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 7, 2025

UFC CEO Dana White still doesn’t think Arman Tsarukyan can be trusted in a big spot. Tsarukyan is widely viewed as the best possible contender for the UFC Lightweight Championship. With Ilia Topuria on hiatus due to personal matters, an interim title fight has been booked between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje for UFC 324. This has once again left Tsarukyan on the outside looking in.

Cole Shelton - December 4, 2025

Paddy Pimblett isn’t a fan of Arman Tsarukyan. Tsarukyan is the No. 1 contender at lightweight, but he isn’t fighting for the interim belt. Instead, it will be Pimblett taking on Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC 324 on January 24.

BJ Penn Staff - November 29, 2025

Arman Tsarukyan will not be getting the next crack at the UFC middleweight title. Tsarukyan was slated to challenge former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev early this year, but was forced out of the fight with an injury at the eleventh hour. It quickly became clear the incident landed him on the UFC’s naughty list, as it was revealed he would need to win another fight before challenging for the belt.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - November 28, 2025

Arman Tsarukyan wasn’t snubbed of a headlining spot at UFC 324 if you believe one MMA legend. During halftime for the NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving, UFC CEO Dana White made some significant announcements. Among them was the news that Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will collide in the main event of UFC 324. The interim UFC Lightweight Championship will be at stake.

Dylan Bowker - November 26, 2025

Arman Tsarukyan does not rate Michael Chandler highly as a top-level MMA fighter and indicated as such when blasting the former multi-time Bellator MMA champion in a recent interview. The conversation in question took place on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel as Tsarukyan fielded several subjects in the wake of his recent submission win over Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar. One of those subjects centred on the rumored UFC lightweight title fight with reigning 155-pound kingpin Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett, with rumblings about that potentially happening early next year. When asked by the former two-division UFC champion if he thinks Pimblett would have anything for Topuria, with Cormier following up with a small quip about Pimblett’s win over Michael Chandler, Tsarukyan said,

Harry Kettle - November 26, 2025

UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has explained why Arman Tsarukyan is a scary fight for Ilia Topuria fans to contend with. In the main event of UFC Qatar last weekend, Arman Tsarukyan really reached the next level in his career. He dominated and finished Dan Hooker inside two rounds before making a clear statement of intent: he wants to challenge Ilia Topuria for the UFC lightweight championship.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - November 25, 2025

Arman Tsarukyan has taken exception to UFC Lightweight Champion Ilia Topuria preferring a fight with Paddy Pimblett. Tsarukyan believes he has earned No. 1 contender status after submitting Dan Hooker in the main event of their UFC Qatar fight. Tsarukyan has insisted that Topuria is avoiding him. “El Matador” has been beefing with Pimblett for years, but the general consensus is that Tsarukyan is the most deserving contender at 155 pounds.

Cole Shelton - November 24, 2025

The UFC was in Qatar for the first time on Saturday for a solid UFC Qatar card. In the main event, a pivotal lightweight bout went down as Arman Tsarukyan took on Dan Hooker in a potential No. 1 contender fight. Entering the bout, Tsarukyan was ending his year-and-a-half-long layoff after beating Charles Oliveira. Hooker, meanwhile, was on a three-fight winning streak and was coming off a split decision win over Mateusz Gamrot.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - November 23, 2025

Arman Tsarukyan believes he can make things look easy in a UFC title fight against Ilia Topuria. Tsarukyan earned the headlining spot on the UFC Qatar card against Dan Hooker this past Saturday. The bout did not go the distance, as Tsarukyan secured an arm-triangle choke in the second stanza to end the fight. Now that he’s won his fifth bout in a row, “Ahalkalakets” is hoping to secure a shot at Topuria’s UFC Lightweight Championship.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - November 23, 2025

Ilia Topuria has taken issue with Arman Tsarukyan’s constant ducking accusations. Tsarukyan took center stage in the main event of UFC Qatar. He submitted Dan Hooker in the second round. “Ahalkalakets” has been pounding the table for a shot at Topuria’s UFC Lightweight Championship. He’s gone as far as to say “El Matador” has been ducking him.

Chris Taylor - November 22, 2025

Today’s UFC Qatar event was headlined by a high stakes lightweight bout featuring Arman Tsarukyan taking on Dan Hooker. Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA) was returning to action for the first time since scoring a split decision victory over former division champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 in April of 2024. ‘Ahalkalakets’ entered the contest on a four-fight winning streak and had gone 9-2 in the UFC since joining the promotion in April of 2019.

Chris Taylor - November 21, 2025

The Octagon heads to Doha for today’s UFC Qatar event, a 14-bout fight card headlined by Arman Tsarukyan vs. Dan Hooker. Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA) will be returning to action for the first time since scoring a split decision victory over former division champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 in April of 2024. ‘Ahalkalakets’ currently boasts a four-fight winning streak and has gone 9-2 since joining the UFC ranks in April of 2019.

Dylan Bowker - November 21, 2025

Arman Tsarukyan would be open to fighting the reigning UFC lightweight champion at the start of 2026, if offered, should he earn a win at this weekend’s UFC Fight Night. Tsarukyan will take on Dan Hooker in the headline of UFC Qatar, which takes place on November 22nd. Ilia Topuria has already been rumored multiple times to be fighting in January as the UFC begins a new media rights deal with Paramount. Names like Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje have been put out as potential options for Topruia. But the man who had to pull out last minute from his 155-pound title bid this January seems to want to make good on the lightweight title opportunity in January 2026.

Harry Kettle - November 20, 2025

UFC veteran Dan Hooker has explained why he isn’t a big fan of UFC Qatar opponent Arman Tsarukyan. For the longest time, Arman Tsarukyan has been seen as a legitimate contender in the UFC lightweight division. He even had a title shot booked, only for a last minute injury to rule him out of a showdown with Islam Makhachev. Now, Arman will attempt to secure a number one contender spot once again when he faces Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - November 19, 2025

Arman Tsarukyan isn’t exactly sold on a welterweight contender who can stop Islam Makhachev. Makhachev challenged Jack Della Maddalena for the UFC Welterweight Championship inside Madison Square Garden in New York City this past Saturday. Makhachev lived up to his word, controlling “JDM” throughout the fight to score a unanimous decision victory.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - November 4, 2025

As UFC draws closer to its Qatar event, one well-known MMA manager thinks Dan Hooker is in for a beatdown. Hooker will face Arman Tsarukyan in a pivotal lightweight bout on Nov. 22. Tsarukyan could potentially earn a UFC Lightweight Championship opportunity with a win. He once earned a shot at the gold, but never competed for it due to an injury prior to the weigh-ins.

Cole Shelton - October 30, 2025

Dan Hooker is glad he’s now fighting Arman Tsarukyan at UFC Qatar. Hooker was supposed to fight Justin Gaethje back in March, but an injury knocked him out of the fight. He will now take on Tsarukyan on Nov. 22 in the main event of UFC Qatar in a pivotal fight at lightweight.