The UFC’s final event in November is a big one. It’s the third-to-last UFC event this year, and the top two fights that round out the card are Arman Tsarukyan vs. Dan Hooker at lightweight and former UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad (24-4, 1 NC MMA) opposite Ian Machado Garry (16-1 MMA) in the co-headliner.
Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA) was initially slated to fight former UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev when Makhachev was still champion in January. A back injury sidelined Tsarukyan, as the UFC opted to go in a different direction after Makhachev eventually vacated his title to move up to welterweight.
With Ilia Topuria becoming the UFC Lightweight Champion at UFC 317 in June, it puts Tsarukyan back in a similar position: needing a win over someone with the caliber of Hooker (24-12 MMA) Saturday afternoon.
“He’s trying to find excuses like, ‘I’m underdog [with] nothing to lose,’” Tsarukyan told UFC.com. “He came here to make money, but I came here to be a contender number one and to show everybody I deserve to fight for the title. We have a different goal.”
READ MORE: UFC Qatar fight card picks & predictions for Arman Tsarukyan vs. Dan Hooker
Meanwhile, Hooker said he is confident he can pull off the upset.
“I got the fight by telling the matchmakers, ‘Please let me get rid of this guy,’” Hooker told MMAFighting.com.“I said, ‘Please let me smash Arman’s face and get him out of the way.’ Next thing, I walked into the fight. So my prayers have been answered.”
Nonetheless, both men will have five rounds if needed to settle their beef.
“I don’t think it’s just talk,” Hooker said. “I don’t even like to say in this situation I’ll do this. I feel like he’s just a mouthy little rich p*ick and I’m just not a person that backs down. That’s just the situation we’re in.”
When Is UFC Qatar?
Jeff Bottari-Zuffa LL
The card features 14 fights, with the prelims beginning at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT, followed by the main card at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. Below is the bout order and updated DraftKings Sportsbook odds, as of Friday evening.
UFC Qatar Full Card + OddsMain card (Start time 1 p.m. ET, ESPN+, ESPN App)Main Event: Arman Tsarukyan (-750) vs. Dan Hooker (+525), lightweight (five-rounder)Co-Main Event: Belal Muhammad (+230) vs. Ian Machado Garry (-285), welterweightVolkan Oezdemir (-238) vs. Alonzo Menifield (+195), light heavyweightJack Hermansson (+170) vs. Myktybek Orolbai (-205), welterweightWaldo Cortes-Acosta (-135) vs. Shamil Gaziev (+114), heavyweightTagir Ulanbekov (-230) vs. Kyoji Horiguchi (+190), flyweight
READ MORE: UFC Qatar full fight card betting guide for Arman Tsarukyan vs. Dan Hooker
Preliminary card (Start time 10 a.m. ET, ESPN+, ESPN App)Featured Prelim: Bogdan Grad (+210) vs. Luke Riley (-238), featherweightNicolas Dalby (+280) vs. Saygid Izagakhmaev (-355), welterweightAlex Perez (+170) vs. Asu Almabayev (-250), flyweightAbdul Rakhman Yakhyaev (-1650) vs. Rafael Cerqueira (+950), light heavyweightBekzat Almakhan (+110) vs. Aleksandre Topuria (-130), bantamweightIsmail Naurdiev (-130) vs. Ryan Loder (+110), middleweightNurullo Aliev (-290) vs. Shaqueme Rock (+235), lightweightMarek Bujlo (+185) vs. Denzel Freeman (-225), heavyweight
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
More MMA Knockout News
• UFC CEO Dana White reflects on legacy of Nurmagomedov family after UFC 322
• MMA legend Amanda Nunes plots historic triple-champ bid after UFC return fight
• Tracy Cortez shares defiant first statement after UFC 322 loss to Erin Blanchfield
• Islam Makhachev gets chilling warning from Ilia Topuria after UFC 322 title win
Stick with MMAKnockout for more FREE coverage of the UFC and MMA.