Pictures: Mahmoud Elmazaty / The Peninsula
Doha: The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) staged its first event in Qatar on Saturday, drawing a capacity crowd to the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena (ABHA Arena) for a card headlined by two top-ranked bouts in the lightweight and welterweight divisions. The event marked the promotion’s debut in the country and added another major international competition to Qatar’s sporting calendar.
Tsarukyan submits Hooker in main event
Arman Tsarukyan strengthened his position as a leading lightweight contender with a second-round submission victory over Dan Hooker.
Tsarukyan secured an arm-triangle choke at 3:34 of Round 2, closing the event with a dominant performance.
The 29-year-old Armenian-born contender has now won five straight and 10 of his last 11 outings, his only recent defeat being a narrow decision loss to Mateusz Gamrot. Already holding the No. 1 ranking, Tsarukyan called for a championship opportunity after the fight and proposed a title bout against Ilia Topuria at the end of January.
Machado Garry earns decision win over Muhammad
In the co-main event, Ian Machado Garry defeated Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
The bout was competitive throughout, with neither fighter establishing a clear advantage or producing a decisive moment over the three rounds.
The judges ultimately awarded the victory to Machado Garry, giving the No. 6 ranked welterweight the biggest win of his career and moving him closer to title contention.
Main card results
The event attracted several international celebrities, actors, media personalities, and former UFC champions who were present cage-side throughout the night. The atmosphere inside AHBDA Arena remained strong from the opening prelim to the final bout, with fans responding enthusiastically to a card that produced multiple first-round finishes and strong performances across divisions.
Fight Week activities included open workouts at Old Doha Port, a UFC gaming zone at Place Vendôme Mall, and Friday’s weigh-in ceremony, all of which saw significant public attendance.
UFC’s first event in Qatar underscores the country’s growing profile as a destination for global combat sports. The sold-out arena and regional interest highlight the sport’s expanding fan base across the Gulf, while Saturday’s results set up key movements in several UFC divisions heading into 2025.
Main card results
Arman Tsarukyan def. Dan Hooker — Submission (arm-triangle choke), 3:34 R2
Ian Machado Garry def. Belal Muhammad — Unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Volkan Oezdemir def. Alonzo Menifield — KO (strikes), 1:27 R1
Myktybek Orolbai def. Jack Hermansson — KO (right hand), 2:46 R1
Waldo Cortes Acosta def. Shamil Gaziev — KO (right hand), 1:22 R1
Kyoji Horiguchi def. Tagir Ulanbekov — Submission (rear-naked choke), 2:18 R3
Preliminary card results
Luke Riley def. Bogdan Grad — KO (left hook and punches), 0:30 R2
Nicolas Dalby def. Saygid Izagakhmaev — Split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev def. Rafael Cerqueira — Submission (rear-naked choke), 0:33 R1
Aleksandre Topuria def. Bekzat Almakhan — Unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Ismail Naurdiev def. Ryan Loder — KO (right hook), 1:26 R1
Nurullo Aliev def. Shem Rock — Unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Denzel Freeman def. Marek Bujlo — Unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
