The UFC's debut in Qatar has its main event.
A lightweight bout between Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker will headline the UFC Fight Night card on Nov. 22 at Doha’s ABHA Arena, Dana White announced Wednesday.
Tsarukyan — the top-ranked contender in the 155-pound division — will enter the contest on a four-fight winning streak and with a 22-3-0 overall record. It will be his first fight under the banner since he beat Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 in April 2024.
The Armenian had earned himself a title shot with the victory over "Do Bronx", but his bout against then-champion Islam Makhachev was ultimately cancelled after Tsarukyan had to withdraw due to injury.
Now, he'll take on New Zealand's Hooker, who sports a 24-12-0 record and is the No. 6-ranked fighter at lightweight in the UFC.
Both fighters will hope a victory earns them a chance to take on reigning 155-pound champ Ilia Topuria, who won the vacant lightweight belt — that Makhachev had relinquished to move up a weight class — by knocking out Oliveira at UFC 317 in June.
White also announced that Belal Muhammad will take on Ian Machado Garry in the co-main event.
For Muhammad, it'll be the former champ's first appearance since losing the welterweight title at UFC 315 in Montreal. The unanimous decision defeat to Jack Della Maddalena in May not only lost the 37-year-old the 170-pound belt, but also snapped his 11-fight unbeaten streak that went back to 2019.
Muhammad, now 24-4-0, will look to get back in the win column by taking on the 16-1-0 Garry, who's ranked sixth in the welterweight division. The Irishman will enter the bout sporting a 9-1 record since debuting in the UFC.
Garry's lone loss under the banner came against No. 3-ranked Shavkat Rakhmonov, but he bounced back immediately with a unanimous decision victory over Carlos Prates in April.
“I’ve always said we’re going to take UFC all over the world — and Qatar is the next stop,” UFC president Dana White stated in a press release when the event was announced. “They already hosted the World Cup and Formula 1, and now we’re bringing a UFC Fight Night there for the first time. Our fights in the Middle East are always incredible so I can’t wait to get out there.”
ABHA Arena has a listed capacity of 7,700. That venue has previously hosted sporting events such as the 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships, the 2023 World Judo Championships and is scheduled to host the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Earlier this year, the UFC debuted in the Republic of Azerbaijan with a June Fight Night event headlined by Khalil Rountree Jr. defeating Jamahal Hill.
