Things got heated at the UFC Qatar ceremonial weigh-ins when main event fighters Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker hit the stage for their face-offs.
Tsarukyan and Hooker have been talking mad trash at each other for years, and that animosity finally boiled over into a physical confrontation one day before their main event fight in Doha, Qatar this Saturday (Nov. 22, 2025). After stepping on the scale for fans (full early weigh-in results here), Tsarukyan strutted up to Hooker for the traditional pre-fight face off only to immediately headbutt the taller “Hangman” square in the face.
Security quickly stepped in to separate the two fighters, with Hooker laughing off the attack.
“Let’s go, let’s go, I love it,” he exclaimed. “Bring it on!”
Tsarukyan didn’t even bother addressing the headbutt when Michael Bisping approached him with the mic.
“I’m gonna show great knockout and gonna get my title next,” he declared.
Tsarukyan has been very vocal about getting a lightweight title shot against Ilia Topuria with a win over Hooker on Saturday night, but it’s a crowded field at lightweight and Topuria has said he’d prefer to fight Paddy Pimblett if he has a choice. He might not, but the UFC is leaning towards the ultra-popular Justin Gaethje facing Topuria when the rising Spanish star returns.
That return will reportedly take place in Los Angeles for the first major numbered card in January for UFC’s new broadcast deal with Paramount / CBS. Can Tsarukyan create enough of a stir in Qatar to lock in a title shot? He’s clearly going to try.