Arman Tsarukyan and Ian Machado Garry staked their claims for UFC title shots on Saturday, as each secured vital victories in Doha.
As the UFC visited Qatar for the first time, Tsarukyan submitted fan favourite Dan Hooker in the second round of the main event, exhibiting his well-rounded skillset to damage the New Zealander badly en route to the finish.
That finish came through an arm-triangle choke, and it might set up Tsarukyan for a shot at the lightweight title, currently held by Ilia Topuria.
Topuria was in attendance at UFC Qatar to support his brother Aleksandre, who picked up a bantamweight win earlier in the night, and also present was Paddy Pimblett, who may yet beat Tsarukyan to a title shot.
Pimblett was in Doha to help coach his teammates, UFC debutants Shaqueme Rock and Luke Riley – the former of whom lost, and the latter of whom won. And given “Paddy The Baddy”’s long-term grudge with Topuria, the Liverpudlian could be next in line for a title fight.
Still, Armenia’s Tsarukyan made a statement with his victory, which came 10 months after he withdrew from a fight with then-champion Islam Makhachev. Tsarukyan, 29, cited a back injury at the time.
In Saturday’s co-main event, Machado Garry won a unanimous decision against former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, earning scorecards of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.
That result might have edged the Irishman, 28, closer to his own title shot at 170lb, although it follows more-emphatic wins for other welterweights just seven days ago.
At UFC 322 on 15 November, Carlos Prates knocked out ex-champion Leon Edwards, and Michael Morales stopped contender Sean Brady. Those results gave way to the main event, in which Makhachev made his 170lb debut and dethroned Jack Della Maddalena.
