UFC made history in Qatar with an action-packed fight card headlined by a crucial lightweight bout between Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker.
The event delivered high-level MMA from start to finish, featuring submissions, knockout finishes, and dominant decision wins across divisions.
The main event saw Tsarukyan continue his rise with an impressive finish, while the co-main event showcased Ian Machado Garry’s skill and composure as he earned the biggest win of his career.
With multiple divisions impacted, this UFC Fight Night created significant movement in the rankings and spotlighted some of the sport’s fastest-rising contenders.
Below is the corrected, complete, and detailed breakdown of all fight results, bonuses, and performance analysis.
Full Fight Results Table
| Division | Winner | Loser | Official Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightweight – Main Event | Arman Tsarukyan (23-3-0) | Dan Hooker (24-13-0) | Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke), Round 2 – 3:34 |
| Welterweight – Co-Main Event | Ian Machado Garry (17-1-0) | Belal Muhammad (24-5-0, 1NC) | Unanimous Decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) |
| Light Heavyweight | Volkan Oezdemir (21-8-0) | Alonzo Menifield (17-6-1) | KO/TKO, Round 1 – 1:27 |
| Welterweight | Myktybek Orolbai (15-2-1) | Jack Hermansson (24-10-0) | KO/TKO, Round 1 – 2:46 |
| Heavyweight | Waldo Cortes-Acosta (16-2-0) | Shamil Gaziev (14-2-0) | KO/TKO, Round 1 – 1:22 |
| Flyweight | Kyoji Horiguchi (35-5-0, 1NC) | Tagir Ulanbekov (17-3-0) | Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), Round 3 – 2:18 |
| Featherweight (Prelim) | Luke Riley (12-0-0) | Bogdan Grad (15-4-0) | KO/TKO, Round 2 – 0:30 |
| Welterweight (Prelim) | Nicolas Dalby (24-6-1, 2NC) | Saygid Izagakhmaev (22-3-0) | Split Decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) |
| Flyweight (Prelim) | Asu Almabayev (23-3-0) | Alex Perez (25-10-0) | Submission (Guillotine), Round 3 – 0:22 |
| Light Heavyweight (Prelim) | Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev (8-0-0) | Raffael Cerqueira (11-4-0) | Submission (RNC), Round 1 – 0:33 |
| Bantamweight (Prelim) | Aleksandre Topuria (7-1-0) | Bekzat Almakhan (12-3-0) | Unanimous Decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) |
| Middleweight (Prelim) | Ismail Naurdiev (25-8-0) | Ryan Loder (8-3-0) | KO (Punch), Round 1 – 1:26 |
| Lightweight (Prelim) | Nurullo Aliev (11-0-0) | Shem Rock (12-2-1) | Unanimous Decision (3 Rounds) |
| Heavyweight (Prelim) | Denzel Freeman (7-1-0) | Marek Bujlo (6-1-0) | Unanimous Decision (3 Rounds) |
Bonus Awards
The UFC awarded four Performance of the Night bonuses worth $50,000 each.
Performance of the Night Winners
- Arman Tsarukyan – for his dominant submission win in the main event
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta – for his explosive first-round KO
- Kyoji Horiguchi – for a clean and technical RNC finish
- Luke Riley – for his fast and powerful second-round KO
No Fight of the Night bonus was issued.
Performance Analysis
Main Event: Arman Tsarukyan vs Dan Hooker
Arman Tsarukyan delivered one of the best performances of his career, submitting Dan Hooker with an arm-triangle choke in the second round.
From the opening bell, Tsarukyan showed complete control. His wrestling transitions were smooth, and his top pressure wore Hooker down quickly.
Why Tsarukyan Won
- Clean, well-timed takedowns
- Heavy ground-and-pound to create openings
- Excellent positional awareness
- Hooker struggled to defend the pressure once grounded
This win pushes Tsarukyan closer than ever to a lightweight title shot. He has now defeated multiple ranked contenders and continues improving every fight.
Co-Main Event: Ian Machado Garry vs Belal Muhammad
Ian Machado Garry delivered a mature and disciplined performance, outpointing veteran contender Belal Muhammad with clean striking and movement.
Garry’s ability to maintain distance and avoid Muhammad’s pressure was the difference.
Key Factors
- Superior footwork
- Consistent jabs and kicks
- Smart counters to stop Muhammad from close-range exchanges
- Improved defensive wrestling
This victory is a major milestone for Garry. Beating a former title challenger places him firmly in the top tier of the welterweight division.
Volkan Oezdemir’s Quick KO
Volkan Oezdemir wasted no time, knocking out Alonzo Menifield in just 87 seconds. It was vintage Oezdemir, fast, accurate, and powerful.
This win reestablishes him as a dangerous contender capable of finishing anyone early.
Myktybek Orolbai Stuns Jack Hermansson
Orolbai shocked many fans by stopping veteran Jack Hermansson in under three minutes. His aggressive style and accurate combinations gave Hermansson no time to adjust.
This win significantly boosts Orolbai’s stock in the welterweight division.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta Dominates
Cortes-Acosta delivered one of the most impressive finishes of the night, knocking out Shamil Gaziev in 1:22.
His power continues to be a real weapon at heavyweight, and this performance may earn him a top-15 opponent next.
Kyoji Horiguchi’s Veteran Mastery
Horiguchi secured a smooth rear-naked choke in round three after controlling the grappling exchanges. His experience, timing, and transitions stood out throughout the fight.
This win positions him for another potential run in the flyweight rankings.
Luke Riley Makes a Statement
Unbeaten Luke Riley showed why he’s viewed as a future contender, stopping Bogdan Grad with a rapid, aggressive assault early in round two. His quick finish earned him a Performance of the Night bonus.
Nicolas Dalby Earns a Split Decision
Dalby once again showed his durability and fight IQ, edging out Saygid Izagakhmaev in a competitive welterweight match.
The fight was a mix of striking exchanges and control sequences, with Dalby’s pace likely being the deciding factor.
Asu Almabayev Submits Alex Perez
Almabayev submitted Perez early in round three with a tight guillotine choke. His ability to maintain pressure and capitalize on small openings shows he is a rising force in the flyweight division.
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev Remains Unbeaten
Yakhyaev delivered one of the fastest finishes of the night, submitting Cerqueira in just 33 seconds. This dominant win makes him one of the most exciting prospects at light heavyweight.
Aleksandre Topuria Controls All Three Rounds
Topuria used sharp striking and clean defense to outpoint Bekzat Almakhan. His consistent pace and accuracy earned him a comfortable decision victory.
Ismail Naurdiev Scores Another Fast KO
Naurdiev delivered a clean knockout with a precise punch just 86 seconds into the fight. His striking continues to be slick, powerful, and improving.
Nurullo Aliev Extends His Unbeaten Streak
Aliev used grappling, cage pressure, and constant control to defeat Shem Rock by unanimous decision. His undefeated record remains intact, and he is now ready for a higher-level opponent.
Denzel Freeman Outpoints Marek Bujlo
The heavyweight prelim ended with Freeman securing a unanimous decision victory through measured striking and good control.
Final Thoughts
UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker lived up to expectations with a mix of elite grappling, explosive knockouts, and tactical decision wins.
- Arman Tsarukyan strengthened his claim for a lightweight title shot.
- Ian Machado Garry took a huge step toward the welterweight elite.
- New contenders like Orolbai, Riley, Almabayev, Yakhyaev, and Cortes-Acosta put the divisions on notice.
This event will play a major role in shaping UFC matchups in 2026, especially in the lightweight, welterweight, and heavyweight divisions.
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