The UFC made its debut in Qatar on Saturday with a card at ABHA Arena in Doha. The fighters wasted no time setting the energy for the night, and by the end of the event, two fighters may have solidified themselves as No. 1 contenders. Lightweight Arman Tsarukyan and welterweight Ian Garry each delivered standout performances, strengthening their cases for upcoming title shots.

Main Event: Arman Tsarukyan def. Dan Hooker via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 3:34 of Round 2

Arman Tsarukyan (23–3) dominated Dan Hooker (24–13) in the main event of UFC Fight Night at ABHA Arena in Doha, Qatar, securing a second-round submission to cement his place as the No. 1 contender in the lightweight division. Tsarukyan imposed his wrestling immediately, securing takedowns in both the first and second rounds and controlling more than six minutes of the nine-minute fight.

The end came when Tsarukyan smoothly advanced into an arm-triangle choke and forced the submission at 3:34 of Round 2. It was a one-sided performance that showcased his well-rounded skill set and composure, even as Hooker attempted to threaten with a pair of guillotine chokes. Tsarukyan calmly defended both, countering the second attempt by moving into top position in the center of the Octagon before locking in the fight-ending submission.

Fighting for the first time since defeating Charles Oliveira at UFC 300, Tsarukyan extended his winning streak to five and improved to 10–1 in his last 11 fights, with the one loss coming by a close decision against Mateusz Gamrot. Sitting at No. 1 in the lightweight rankings, the 29-year-old used his post-fight interview to call for a title shot, targeting late January for a fight with reigning 155-pound champion Ilia Topuria.

Ian Machado Garry def. Belal Muhammad via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Ian Machado Garry earned the biggest win of his career on Saturday, defeating former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision in a competitive but clean striking battle. The Top 10 welterweights traded consistently over all three rounds, with Muhammad pressuring forward while Garry welcomed the engagement, countering with crisp shots and superior accuracy.

The fight took place entirely on the feet, as Muhammad went 0-for-7 on takedown attempts. Garry controlled the exchanges with sharp jabs, well-timed right hands, and a punishing front kick to the body and lead leg. Although neither fighter produced a major momentum-shifting moment, Garry’s cleaner striking and defensive discipline were enough to earn him scores of 30–27, 30–27, and 29–28.

The win gives Machado Garry back-to-back wins since dropping the one loss of his career last December. He has now won 10 of his last 11 fights and remains a major threat in the welterweight title picture. In his post-fight interview, Garry called for a title shot and positioned himself as a potential challenger for newly crowned champion Islam Makhachev, who captured the title from Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 in New York.

UFC Qatar: Tsarukyan vs Hooker Results

• Main Event: Arman Tsarukyan def. Dan Hooker via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 3:34 of Round 2
• Ian Machado Garry def. Belal Muhammad via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Volkan Oezdemir def. Alonzo Menifield via knockout (strikes) at 1:27 of Round 1
• Myktybek Orolbai def. Jack Hermansson via knockout (right hand) at 2:46 of Round 1
• Waldo Cortes Acosta def. Shamil Gaziev via knockout (right hand) at 1:22 of Round 1
• Kyoji Horiguchi def. Tagir Ulanbekov via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:18 of Round 3
• Luke Riley def. Bogdan Grad via knockout (left hook and punches) at 0:30 of Round 2
• Nicolas Dalby (29-28, 29-28) def. Saygid Izagakhmaev via split decision (29-28)
• Asu Almabayev def. Alex Perez via submission (guillotine choke) at 0:22 of Round 3
• Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev def. Rafael Cerquiera via submission (rear-naked choke) at 0:33 of Round 1
• Aleksandre Topuria def. Bekzat Almakhan via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Ismail Naurdiev def. Ryan Loder via KO (right hook) at 1:26 of Round 1
• Nurullo Aliev def. Shem Rock via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Denzel Freeman def. Marek Bujlo via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)