Dan Hooker unloaded on Arman Tsarukyan, explaining exactly why he won’t be fighting the “absolute dumbass” at UFC 266.
Hooker told Submission Radio that Tsarukyan provoked an argument when he was already booked to fight, leaving Dan Hooker to take on Nasrat Haqparast.
Dan Hooker on Tsarukyan: “He’s a dumbass and he’s got sh*t for brains”
“Dumbass. [We aren’t fighting] because he’s a dumbass.
I argue exclusively for physical confrontation. If you ever see me standing across from someone arguing with them, it’s for one reason and one reason only, for physical confrontation.
This dumbass picks an argument with me, we get all the way to the end of the argument, and then I find out a week later that he’s already got a fight. Absolute dumbass.
If you’re already booked, why argue? Why try to challenge me when I’m looking for a fight and you already have a fight?”
Hooker pointed out that he only argues with fellow fighters in order to set up future bouts. It’s a savvy choice in a sport where those are few and far between, and Hooker seems genuinely annoyed that Tsarukyan provoked him with no follow-through.
Hooker will fight Nasrat Haqparast, an unranked fighter, at UFC 266, simply because he wants (or needs) to fight. Hooker’s no.8 ranking would suggest that he should be taking on ranked fighters, but the UFC’s matchmakers – and Arman Tsukaryan – might have dropped the ball on this one.
“Sh*t for brains. The kid’s got sh*t for brains.
He’s a dumbass and he’s got sh*t for brains. That’s all I have to say about that. Anyone can put their hand on their heart and tell me that I’m scared of Arman whatever his name is.
I’ve never even seen the kid fight before. I would walk right though him. You’re kidding yourself.
If he truly believes that, he’s living in a delusion.”
Hooker returns to action at UFC 266 following a two-fight losing streak in which he came off second best against Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler. He’ll need to secure a win against Haqparast in order to maintain his ranking. Losing a third consecutive fight, and against an unranked fighter, would be disastrous for Hooker’s career. At 31 he has a few years left at his peak, and Dan Hooker needs to remind audiences why he’s a top-ten lightweight. A fight against Arman Tsarukyan may have done that, but he’ll need to make do when he takes on Haqparast in September.
Do you want to see Hooker fight Tsukaryan eventually? Let us know in the comments.
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