Overview

• UFC CEO Dana White confirmed Arman Tsarukyan vs. Dan Hooker in Doha is a No. 1 contender fight, with the winner promised a shot at Ilia Topuria next year.
• Dan Hooker said he would hit Tsarukyan if he gets within arm’s reach during fight week and suggested such an incident could cancel the bout, while White said the UFC does not plan extra security for trash talk.
• Tsarukyan brushed off Hooker’s warning as bluster, saying the rivalry is business and he intends to stay focused on the main event.
• Tsarukyan’s comment that “it’s a man’s sport; women should be at home” drew criticism; he later clarified he was referring to his mother’s discomfort watching him fight rather than women’s participation in MMA.
• Tsarukyan insists he is the only lightweight who can beat Topuria and claims Justin Gaethje declined to fight him, as Topuria’s first defense remains unannounced and reports linking him to Gaethje are unconfirmed.