The UFC will make its long-awaited debut in Qatar on November 22 on the Ali Bin Hamad al-Attiyah Area in Doha, that includes a stacked struggle card that features two high-stakes matchups anticipated to find out future title contenders.
UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that Armenian light-weight contender Arman Tsarukyan will face New Zealand veteran Dan Hooker in the primary occasion, whereas former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad takes on Irish rising star Ian Machado Garry within the co-main occasion. The announcement was made throughout White’s Instagram Dwell session on Wednesday.
UFC Foremost Occasion Title Implications
Tsarukyan enters the bout ranked second within the UFC light-weight division following 4 consecutive victories, together with wins over Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush. The 28-year-old Armenian was initially scheduled to problem Islam Makhachev for the light-weight title at UFC 311 in January however withdrew hours earlier than the struggle as a result of a again damage. This setback seems to have knocked him out of quick title rivalry, with present champion Ilia Topuria prone to face both Justin Gaethje or Paddy Pimblett subsequent.
Hooker brings momentum into the competition regardless of an prolonged layoff since his August 2024 victory over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305. The 35-year-old “Hangman” has gained three straight fights following a tough 1-4 stretch in opposition to elite competitors between 2020 and 2022. Hooker was scheduled to face Justin Gaethje at UFC 313 however withdrew as a result of hand accidents.
Welterweight Division Shakeup
The co-main occasion carries important implications for the welterweight title image. Muhammad misplaced his championship to Jack Della Maddalena by way of unanimous determination at UFC 315 in Could, ending his 11-fight unbeaten streak that dated again to January 2019. The 37-year-old Palestinian-American fighter had campaigned for a bout in opposition to former champion Kamaru Usman however will as a substitute face Garry in his comeback struggle.
Garry enters the matchup ranked sixth within the welterweight division with a 16-1 skilled report. The 27-year-old Irishman bounced again from his first profession loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov in December 2024 by defeating Carlos Prates by way of unanimous determination in April. The winner of this bout will probably place themselves as the following challenger for the welterweight title, which can be defended when Della Maddalena faces Islam Makhachev at UFC 322 on November 15.
Historic Qatar Debut
The November 22 occasion marks Qatar’s entry because the thirty second nation to host a UFC present and the third Center Japanese nation after the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The Ali Bin Hamad al-Attiyah Area in Al Rayyan has a capability of roughly 7,700 spectators. UFC president Dana White expressed enthusiasm concerning the growth, stating the group has “at all times mentioned we’re going to take UFC everywhere in the world—and Qatar is the following cease”.
The timing coincides with important motion in each weight courses. Topuria just lately captured the light-weight championship by knocking out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June after vacating his featherweight title. In the meantime, Makhachev relinquished his light-weight crown to maneuver up and problem Della Maddalena for the welterweight title.
The total UFC Qatar card consists of a number of different notable matchups that includes Alex Perez vs Asu Almabayev, Jan Błachowicz vs Bogdan Guskov, and heavyweight contenders Serghei Spivac vs Shamil Gaziev. Each fundamental card fighters are coming off prolonged layoffs, with Tsarukyan final competing in April 2024 and Hooker sidelined since August 2024 as a result of hand accidents.
For Tsarukyan and Hooker, victory probably means a path again to title rivalry in a light-weight division experiencing important upheaval. For Muhammad and Garry, the stakes embody potential redemption for the previous champion and a breakthrough second for the unbeaten Irish prospect looking for his first title shot.
