"I don't like his face" - Dan Hooker goes nuclear on Arman Tsarukyan after their UFC Qatar fight becomes official

Dan Hooker fired fresh shots at Arman Tsarukyan ahead of their fight in Qatar. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the matchup as the main event for the promotion’s debut in Qatar on Nov. 23, with the fight set to shape the 155-pound title picture heading into 2026.

For Tsarukyan, this marks his first appearance of the year after a turbulent 2025. He was originally lined up to fight Islam Makhachev for the belt at UFC 311 in January, but withdrew on the eve of the contest, with Renato Moicano stepping in.

He later weighed in as the backup at UFC 317 for the fight between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira. The Armenian-Russian contender has been waiting for another chance to push back into the title mix.

Talking about the rivalry with Tsarukyan in an interview with Submission Radio, Hooker said:

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"I think there is a lot of animosity there. I don't like the way. I don't like his face. I don't like that his face is attached to his body, and I would love to separate the two. I don't like the bloke. I don't know anything about him, but I hate everything he stands for. I can't wait to elbow him in the nose. It doesn't hurt, though, having that as a motivation to get in."

He added:

"You're a professional, you're always going to be in training, you're always going to be in shape, but it doesn't hurt to make this comeback having that kind of venom fueling you. If he comes within arm's range to me, I'm going to hit him. That's the long and short of it, and the fight's going to be off. If you put me near the guy, I'm going to try and hit him, throw things at him and piss him off."

Check out Dan Hooker's comments below (6:20):

Dan Hooker explains what separates his fighting style from Arman Tsarukyan’s

Dan Hooker has embraced the possibility that Arman Tsarukyan might underrate his style. He framed the matchup as a clash between a competitor who prioritises winning and a fighter who values combat.

In his words, Tsarukyan is a strategist, while he thrives on chaos and exchanges that fans remember. Speaking in the aforementioned interview with Submission Radio, Hooker said:

"I play the game the way I like to play the game. I like to have wild fights and do exciting stuff for the fans. I just like to fight. I'm a fighter's fighter. I like to fight more than I like to win, and that's just something that he can't understand. He's a competitor. But I choose to fight like that. That's just the way that I choose. I feel like he couldn't be me if he wanted to... He fights to be cool, and so people give him attention, and he gets likes on Instagram. I fight because it's in my blood."

About the author

Abhishek Ramadasan Nambiar is a journalist who covers MMA at Sportskeeda. As a long-time practitioner of various martial arts, seeing the fusion of different forms into a quest for the ultimate fighter felt both primal and profoundly technical. At Sportskeeda, Abhishek's primary goal is to offer a fresh and distinctive angle through his writing, aiming to provide readers with more than just the basics of MMA. Along with keeping them informed about the latest developments in the sport, he strives to offer valuable insights that enhance their understanding of MMA.

When not writing about MMA, Abhishek often spends time reviewing music or devouring Brian Evanson's and Blake Crouch's work. Sign up to receive news, regular updates, and exclusive coverage.

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