UFC Fight Night 265: Arman Tsarukyan vs Dan Hooker Preview & Prediction
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Dan Hooker vs Arman Tsarukyan set for pivotal lightweight main event at UFC Qatar in an intriguing clash of styles.
Arman Tsarukyan vs Dan Hooker facts
What time are Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker? Ali Bin Hamad al-Attiyah Arena, Al Rayyan, Qatar
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night 265: Tsarukyan vs Hooker main card
Arman Tsarukyan vs Dan Hooker (Lightweight)
Belal Muhammad vs Ian Machado Garry (Welterweight)
Volkan Oezdemir vs Alonzo Menifield (Light Heavyweight)
Jack Hermansson vs Myktybek Orolbai (Welterweight)
Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs Shamil Gaziev (Heavyweight)
Tagir Ulanbekov vs Kyoji Horiguchi (Flyweight)
UFC Fight Night 265: Tsarukyan vs Hooker prelims
Bogdan Grad vs Luke Riley (Featherweight)
Nicolas Dalby vs Saygid Izagakhmaev (Welterweight)
Alex Perez vs Asu Almabayev (Flyweight)
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev vs Rafael Cerqueira (Light Heavyweight)
Bekzat Almakhan vs Aleksandre Topuria (Bantamweight)
Ismail Naurdiev vs Ryan Loder (Middleweight)
Nurullo Aliev vs Shaqueme Rock (Lightweight)
Marek Bujlo vs Denzel Freeman (Heavyweight)
Dan Hooker: The Hangman chasing one more run
Dan “The Hangman” Hooker (24-12) steps into this main event as one of lightweight’s most respected veterans — a fighter defined by grit, violence, and durability. With 11 KO/TKO wins and seven submissions on his résumé, Hooker is one of the most well-rounded finishers in the division’s modern era. His wars with Dustin Poirier, Paul Felder, and Edson Barboza have cemented his reputation as an “absolute dog” who is always willing to wade into chaos and trade until someone falls.
Hooker enters this matchup riding a strong three-fight winning streak, including a split decision over Jalin Turner and an impressive stoppage of Claudio Puelles, but the standout result is his recent split-decision victory over Mateusz Gamrot — one of the division’s elite grapplers. That win proved Hooker still has the tools to compete with top-tier talent, blending veteran timing with sharp kickboxing fundamentals. Training at City Kickboxing, he continues to evolve his striking with feints, teeps, and long-range weapons. However, at 35 years old and with over 35 professional fights, the years of damage and the accumulation of high-paced wars raise understandable durability concerns. Against explosive wrestlers, Hooker has historically struggled to stay upright and avoid sustained top control — a dynamic that looms large in this matchup.
Arman Tsarukyan: Elite wrestler looking to challenge Ilia
Arman “Ahalkalakets” Tsarukyan (22-3) arrives in Qatar as one of the most feared rising forces at 155. With nine KO/TKO wins and five submissions, plus one of the highest takedown success rates in the division, Tsarukyan is widely considered the best pure wrestler at lightweight not named Islam Makhachev — and possibly already on that level. His resume includes dominant wins over Beneil Dariush, Damir Ismagulov, Joaquim Silva, and Christos Giagos, as well as a razor-close split decision loss to Mateusz Gamrot in 2022 that many believed he deserved.
Tsarukyan’s recent run has been outstanding, capped by a brutal first-round knockout of former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira — a statement performance that launched him directly into title talks. Although he hasn’t fought since April 2024, he has stayed extremely active, submitting Patricky Pitbull and Benson Henderson in competitive grappling while also helping Khamzat Chimaev prepare for Dricus du Plessis. Earlier this year, Tsarukyan even trained with the expectation of facing Islam Makhachev, sharpening what was already world-class wrestling and tightening his submission chains. At 29 years old, he is entering the athletic prime of his career, combining relentless pressure, explosive level changes, and an increasingly dangerous striking arsenal.
Dan Hooker vs Arman Tsarukyan prediction
This matchup pairs a hardened striker with exceptional toughness against a physically superior wrestling phenom entering his peak. Hooker has the experience, technical striking, and fight IQ to trouble many lightweights — and his recent success against Mateusz Gamrot shows he can hang with high-level grapplers. But Tsarukyan is a different type of wrestler: faster, stronger, more explosive, and capable of controlling opponents instantly from the first exchange.
Tsarukyan has little incentive to stand and trade with Hooker, especially given Hooker’s knockout power and ability to make any fight ugly. Expect Tsarukyan to immediately enforce his grappling, chain takedowns together, and drive Hooker into the mat early. Once he establishes top control, the difference in athleticism and physicality becomes a major factor. Hooker’s toughness may delay the inevitable, but Tsarukyan’s ground-and-pound and submission pressure are likely too overwhelming.
Prediction: Arman Tsarukyan to win, under 2.5 rounds
