If there was any doubt beforehand, Arman Tsarukyan made it extremely clear he’s the best Lightweight without a UFC title.
Last night (Sat., Nov. 22, 2025), Tsarukyan beat the brakes off veteran contender Dan Hooker in the main event of UFC Qatar. An outstanding wrestler and otherworldly athlete, Tsarukyan had little trouble on the feet with “The Hangman,” finding his way to the rangy striker with explosive combinations. When he took it to the floor, Tsarukyan destroyed Hooker’s face with punches and elbows
en route to a second-round arm triangle choke finish.
Seriously, it was a mauling. Look at Hooker’s face after a mere eight minutes!
Tsarukyan is now riding a five-fight win streak. His most recent trio of wins includes the Hooker beating, a decision over divisional great Charles Oliveira, and a 64-second KO of Beneil Dariush. He’s clearly a world-class talent at the top of his game, and yet he’s still only 29 years old. It’s easy to forget his youth because he’s been in the UFC for six years and showed up already at an extremely high level, but we’re talking about a young fighter with a lot left to give.
Just like Ilia Topuria, the 28-year-old two-division champion.
Despite Tsarukyan’s obvious case for a title, there’s a major issue of scheduling. It’s an open secret that UFC is targeting Topuria to lead the big Paramount debut, scheduled for just two months from now. That’s a very quick rebound for Tsarukyan, who would have to recover from his recent training camp, substantial weight cut, and train to peak again in roughly nine weeks time.
That’s not impossible, but it is a disadvantage. If Tsarukyan does receive the next shot at Topuria, he does so on the champion’s terms and gives the Spaniard an edge. Whether that detail ends up mattering is anyone’s guess, but it’s not exactly “fair” to the clearly deserving contender. This is an old tactic in the UFC playbook, a way to help the bigger star.
Remember when Aljamain Sterling got smoked by Sean O’Malley just three months after his five-round war with Henry Cejudo? Dana White didn’t exactly break into tears at the unfairness of it all.
The other option is Paddy Pimblett. “The Baddy” does not deserve a title shot, particularly not when compared to Tsarukyan’s impeccable resume and performances. He is, however, fresh and available with no asterisks. The English athlete is also a major star and has a history of bad blood with the champion. It’s a remarkably easy fight to sell, exactly the kind of matchup UFC would love to put atop a high-profile event.
The two have already faced off in the cage!
Assuming Topuria does indeed end up on UFC 324 in January, his challenger will either be the undeserving “Baddy” or Tsarukyan with questionable preparation. Both fights would be awesome, must-watch combat sports entertainment, and they would also both be a bit silly for very different reasons.
I expect we’ll find out which way the cookie crumbles in the coming week or two.
For complete UFC Qatar results and play-by-play, click here.
