"That's why he was tasked with winning another bout even after already having earned his title shot. Being the massive betting favourite he was, Tsarukyan had the pressure of not only beating Dan Hooker but doing so in a way that would cement his number one contender status. That's what he accomplished as he battered the Kiwi on his way to a second-round submission stoppage."
"However, Tsarukyan still called for the shot in January, saying he will be ready. There's no question that from a meritocratic standpoint, Tsarukyan is way ahead of Pimblett in the queue, but time will tell whether the UFC will still opt for Pimblett in January. One thing is certain, whether it's in January or later, Tsarukyan's next fight has to be for the lightweight title."
UFC staged its first event in Qatar, the fifth Middle East show this year, featuring several decisive finishes. Volkan Oezdemir, Myktybek Orolbai, Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Kyoji Horiguchi recorded impressive stoppages on the main card. Arman Tsarukyan overwhelmed Dan Hooker, earning a second-round submission and demanding a lightweight title shot. Ian Machado Garry beat Belal Muhammad and also called for a title opportunity, though his performance did not universally cement number-one contender status. Rumors place Ilia Topuria headlining a January event, but merit suggests Tsarukyan should receive the next lightweight title fight.
Read at Cageside Press
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