Nov 12, 2022; New York, NY, USA; Dan Hooker (red gloves) defeats Claudio Puelles (blue gloves) during UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports

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“Would Love To Separate The Two” – Dan Hooker Sends A Chilling Message To Arman Tsarukyan Ahead Of UFC Qatar Bout

Nov 12, 2022; New York, NY, USA; Dan Hooker (red gloves) defeats Claudio Puelles (blue gloves) during UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports

Trash talk in MMA is nothing new. Fighters have been talking smack since the sport began. But every now and then, someone says something that makes fans stop and reflect. Dan Hooker just delivered one of those moments. The New Zealand fighter appeared on Submission Radio on October 2nd and absolutely unloaded on his upcoming opponent Arman Tsarukyan.

The two are set to headline UFC Qatar on November 22nd. MMA fans know that pre-fight talk usually follows a script. Fighters respect each other’s skills, promise to put on a good show, maybe throw in a few jabs about training camp or past performances. But Hooker completely threw that playbook out the window with his latest comments.

Dan Hooker Has A Terrifying Message For Arman Tsarukyan

During his appearance on Submission Radio, Hooker didn’t hold anything back when discussing Tsarukyan. He vowed to inflict violence on the Armenian fighter like no other.

“I don’t like that his face is attached to his body. Would love to separate the two. I don’t know anything about him, but I hate everything he stands for. Can’t wait to elbow him in the nose.”

Dan Hooker does NOT like Arman Tsarukyan 😳

"I don't like that his face is attached to his body. I would love to separate the two. I don't know anything about him, but I hate everything he stands for. Can't wait to elbow him in the nose."

(via @SubmissionRadio) #UFCQatar pic.twitter.com/zA8ZcHOKDV
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 2, 2025

This is a legitimate threat wrapped in fighter language. But he didn’t stop there. The specificity of mentioning elbows to the nose shows Hooker has already visualized exactly how he wants to hurt Tsarukyan.

What makes these comments even more intense is the cold delivery. Hooker wasn’t yelling or getting overly emotional. His calculated calmness somehow makes it more disturbing. He wants to inflict damage and make Tsarukyan suffer. This is the kind of talk that gets fight fans genuinely excited because they know someone’s getting hurt when the cage door closes.

The History Behind The Hatred

So what’s driving this intense dislike between Hooker and Tsarukyan? Well, it’s not like they woke up one day and decided to hate each other for no reason. These two have been exchanging verbal shots for a while now, and the tension has been building steadily. Hooker previously accused Tsarukyan of inappropriate behavior with Nina Marie Daniele (Nina Drama). On the flip side, Tsarukyan took shots at Hooker when the New Zealander had to withdraw from a fight due to injury.

This level of animosity usually translates to violence inside the cage. When fighters genuinely dislike each other, they tend to throw caution to the wind and go for broke. Technical gameplans go out the window when emotions take over.

Both fighters are coming off long layoffs, which adds another interesting layer to this matchup. Hooker hasn’t fought since August 2024 due to hand injuries, while Tsarukyan has been out since April 2024 after withdrawing from a title shot against Islam Makhachev at UFC 311. Ring rust is real, and whoever shakes it off faster will have a massive advantage. Tsarukyan is the higher-ranked fighter at #2 in the division compared to the #6 Hooker. This fight matters hugely for both guys in terms of title implications. The winner will likely find themselves right back in the championship conversation. November 22nd in Qatar can’t come fast enough. This one’s going to be violent!

(Image Credit: Jessica Alcheh – Imagn Images)

Arman Tsarukyan

Dan Hooker

UFC Qatar

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!