“It just doesn’t make sense,” Tsarukyan told reporters, echoing the sentiment he shared on social media. “I’ll finish a top guy like Hooker in two rounds, I’ll be ready to fight in January and they’ll go in a different direction.”
make it meaningful 🤦🏻♂️
—Arman Tsarukyan Ufc (@armanufc) November 28, 2025
Left in the shadows after an eye-catching victory
Last weekend, Arman Tsarukyan put the entire lightweight division in the spotlight. He didn’t just beat Dan Hooker; he dismantled him and forced a submission in the second round. The win was a statement, the kind that usually catapults a fighter straight into a championship conversation.
Tsarukyan felt he had done everything he needed to. “I told the UFC I’m healthy and I can make a quick turnaround for the Paramount card,” he said, referring to January’s pay-per-view. “The goal was always the title. After that performance I thought it was guaranteed.”
Instead, news broke that Justin Gaethje, who had been vocal about getting a title shot or walking away, would face rising star Paddy Pimblett for the interim title. For many watching, the decision was a head-scratcher. Why create an interim title fight that leaves the division number one on the sidelines?
The questions everyone asks
Through matchmaking, fans and experts alike try to decipher the UFC’s logic. The most obvious question is why Tsarukyan was overlooked after such a decisive victory. His victory over Hooker seemed to tick all the boxes, making his exclusion from the title picture difficult to understand from a sporting perspective.
The reaction from fans was largely sympathetic towards Tsarukyan. On social media and forums, many are expressing frustration as they see this move prioritizing a marketable storyline (the meteoric rise of the popular Pimblett) over competitive merit.
Complicating matters further was Dana White’s confirmation on the status of undisputed champion Ilia Topuria. With Topuria out for the first quarter of the year, the way seemed clear for a real top contender to fight for interim gold. The announcement that Topuria will face the winner of Gaethje vs. Pimblett effectively slams the door on Tsarukyan’s immediate title hopes, leaving his next move a mystery.
For now, Tsarukyan continues to wait, a champion-level fighter with no crown to chase. “I’m the most dangerous man in this division,” he declared. “Sooner or later they’ll have to give me my chance.”
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