It’s one of the toughest matchups anyone at lightweight can take and Dan Hooker went out of his way to ask for it. Dan Hooker (24-12 MMA, 14-8 UFC) returns from more than a year on the sidelines to face No. 1 lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) in the main event of UFC Fight Night 265 at ABHA Arena in Doha, Qatar (ESPN+). For many, Tsarukyan is the most dangerous fight in the division outside of champion Ilia Topuria. So why would Hooker risk a three-fight winning streak and his momentum on a stylistic nightmare? Simple: he believes this is his shortcut to the belt.
“Dana (White) has come out and said it’s a No. 1 contender fight,” Hooker told MMA Junkie. “Yeah, he’s the No. 1 contender and needs a win in the division, and that’s why I chased this fight and I asked for this fight. I nagged the UFC to give me this fight because I knew that no one between myself and Arman Tsarukyan would want to fight Arman Tsarukyan.”
Hooker says the risk is exactly what makes the opportunity so valuable.
“I knew with a win over Arman Tsarukyan, I get to jump the queue. I get to jump from outside the top five to No. 1 contender of the division. Exciting times, for sure.”
A Year Out, But No Ground Lost
Hooker last fought in August 2024, grinding out a split-decision victory over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305 in Australia. Before that, he earned wins over Jalin Turner and Claudio Puelles, rebuilding his form after a rough stretch against top-tier opposition. Despite the layoff, Hooker doesn’t feel like his standing has suffered.
“That’s the beautiful thing about it, is there’s no real ground lost,” he said. “I’ve been sitting out for a year, but coming off a win over No. 5 and then to get a shot at the now No. 1 contender in the division, it’s a bit of practice of patience, if anything.” He also believes plenty of bigger names have had good reasons to steer clear of Tsarukyan.
“The champion and the bigger-name guys like (Justin) Gaethje, they have a good excuse not to fight him,” Hooker said. “I believe it’s because he is the most skillful fighter in the division… I knew with a win over him, I’m right there.”
“If We’re Striking, I Tear Him Apart”
Stylistically, Hooker expects a classic striker vs. grappler dynamic.
“It’s no real secret: he’s grabbing a hold of me on the d*ck, brother,” Hooker said bluntly. “I think there’s no real secret about where our strengths lie. I feel like if we’re standing at long range or even mid-range in striking, I think I tear him apart.”
He fully expects Tsarukyan to avoid prolonged exchanges on the feet.
“He’ll be looking to close the distance and not engage with me in there on the feet, and just be looking to get some control time, and kind of drain the clock down. That’s what he’ll be eyeing.”
Dan Hooker knows exactly how steep this hill is. He chased it anyway because at lightweight, there might not be a faster path back to a title shot than taking out Arman Tsarukyan on enemy terms.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
