The UFC returns to the Middle East with a stacked night of fights in Al Rayyan, Qatar, bringing major movement potential to both the lightweight and welterweight divisions. UFC Qatar: Tsarukyan vs. Hooker is built around a main event that could reshape the 155-pound title picture, as Arman Tsarukyan meets Dan Hooker in a five-round showdown. With a co-main event featuring big-name welterweights and a deep undercard, this event has all the ingredients of a pivotal fight night for multiple weight classes.
For fans in Australia, streaming coverage is available through Kayo, which will carry both the preliminaries and the main card. The full broadcast begins early Sunday morning, making this another prime “breakfast UFC” slot for local viewers. The prelims start at 2 a.m. AEDT, with the main card beginning at 5 a.m. AEDT. The event takes place at Ali Bin Hamad al-Attiyah Arena in Al Rayyan, a venue that has quickly become a regular stop for high-profile combat sports in the region. Based on the pacing of the undercard and how long the earlier bouts last, Tsarukyan and Hooker are expected to make their walk to the octagon at roughly 8:30 a.m. AEDT.
The main event is a particularly meaningful one for Arman Tsarukyan, who enters the night with a 22-3 record and a four-fight winning streak. The Armenian standout has steadily built momentum against elite opposition, and his most significant statement came last year when he defeated former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in a title eliminator. That win placed him firmly in the championship lane, and the UFC appeared ready to pull the trigger on a title opportunity. Tsarukyan was scheduled to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight belt, but the matchup fell apart after Tsarukyan withdrew a day before the fight. It was a major setback in a division where timing matters, and the UFC’s matchmaking at 155 pounds rarely waits for anyone.
Since then, Tsarukyan has been fighting to reassert his position not only in the rankings, but also in the eyes of the decision-makers who choose the next challengers. Ranked No. 2 in the lightweight division, he has all the tools to be a long-term force at the top: a crushing wrestling base, improving striking confidence, and the kind of pace that can smother even seasoned veterans. A win in Qatar would likely clear the fog around his title case and push him right back to the front of the line. The lightweight division remains one of the UFC’s most competitive classes, and the promotion tends to reward fighters who can dominate contenders convincingly. Tsarukyan has that opportunity here.
Across from him stands Dan Hooker, a fan favorite whose career has been a story of reinvention. The Auckland-born fighter brings a 24-12 record into this main event and sits at No. 7 in the lightweight rankings. Hooker’s recent run has been impressive, especially considering the turbulence he faced earlier in the decade. After going 1-4 from 2020 to 2022, he rebuilt his form with a three-fight winning streak that has returned him to contender status. He has also recently recovered from a hand injury and says he is now fully fit, adding another layer of intrigue to a matchup that already promises violence and drama.
Hooker’s mindset for this fight is clear: he wants the hardest possible road back to gold. That philosophy has always defined his UFC identity, and he emphasized it while talking about the challenge Tsarukyan presents. "I knew he had to fight to get back into title contention. So I knew that this fight, I would be the only person that would want the most difficult fight. I don't discredit the other guys for picking their battles and trying to find the path of least resistance. That's just not the way that I do things. He's the toughest test. He's the best fighter in the division," Hooker told Uncrowned. Those words fit Hooker’s career perfectly: he has never been a fighter who looks for shortcuts, and he has often taken dangerous fights against elite opponents. Now, he gets another one — but with far bigger stakes than before.
Stylistically, this is a classic collision between an ascending, pressure-heavy grappler and a proven striker with five-round experience. Tsarukyan’s game revolves around control, chain wrestling, and exhausting opponents over time. Hooker, meanwhile, is a dangerous counter striker with sharp knees, a ruthless clinch game, and a knack for pulling opponents into chaotic firefights. The question is whether Hooker can keep this fight in the kind of space he needs to thrive, or if Tsarukyan will drag him into deeper water where wrestling and pace become the deciding factors. Over five rounds, that battle of geography and endurance could be everything.
The co-main event adds serious value to the card, pairing Belal Muhammad against Ian Machado Garry in a bout that could rapidly alter the welterweight hierarchy. Muhammad enters with a 24-4 record and one no contest, and while he is coming off a major loss, his résumé still carries championship-level weight. A former welterweight champion, Muhammad recently saw his eleven-fight unbeaten streak snapped when he lost the title to Jack Della Maddalena. For a fighter who built his run on consistency and relentless tactical discipline, this is a critical chance to prove he remains an elite force.
Facing him is Garry, who at 16-1 has already tasted both hype and heartbreak at the UFC’s highest level. Garry’s undefeated run ended last December in a top contender fight against Shavkat Rakhmonov, a result that forced him into a recalibration moment. He responded the right way, rebounding with a win over Carlos Prates to re-establish himself as a threat on the rise. This fight against Muhammad is a rare test: a chance to beat a former champion and turn a single setback into a storyline of maturity and resurgence. For Muhammad, it’s about refusing to be written off. For Garry, it’s a chance to storm back into the title orbit.
Beyond the two headline bouts, UFC Qatar is loaded with a diverse main card. Light heavyweights Volkan Oezdemir and Alonzo Menifield meet in a power-centric clash that could produce a highlight-reel finish. Jack Hermansson takes on Myktybek Orolbai, creating a stylistic puzzle between veteran craft and hungry ambition. Heavyweight action arrives with Serghei Spivac facing Shamil Gaziev, while flyweights Alex Perez and Asu Almabayev bring speed and precision to round out a busy top tier.
The prelims also deserve close attention. Several rising prospects and international names are featured, including Tagir Ulanbekov, Kyoji Horiguchi, and Aleksandre Topuria. These early bouts often set the emotional tempo for the entire night, and with so many fighters looking to break into rankings, the prelim portion could be far more than a warmup. When the UFC visits new regions, cards like this usually blend established names with breakout hopefuls — and Qatar is getting that same formula here.
By the time Tsarukyan and Hooker step into the cage, the stakes won’t just be personal. The lightweight division is hungry for clarity at the top, and a decisive win here could launch the victor toward championship opportunity. Tsarukyan is fighting for restored momentum toward the belt. Hooker is fighting to crash the title party and rewrite the division’s script. Either way, Sunday morning in Qatar feels like a turning point.
