Fight week tension between Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker had been simmering for months, but no one expected the final face-off at UFC Qatar to explode the way it did. Their rivalry has always felt one push away from chaos, and when they finally stood inches apart on stage, things unfolded exactly how fans had predicted—perhaps even worse.

‘The Hagman’ had been stating all week that if things got heated, he wouldn’t hesitate to swing, and Tsarukyan wasn’t pretending otherwise. Both guys stepped onto that stage with real animosity, and as one made a step forward, the other reacted instinctively. Within seconds, the most dramatic scene of fight week occurred in front of a stunned crowd.

Arman Tsarukyan on his headbutt moment at UFC Qatar weigh-ins

Arman Tsarukyan told ESPN that what happened was immediate rather than a premeditated move. “He tried to scare me,” he said. “But no one can scare me. He wanted to scare me, and I automatically wanted to kick his a–.” According to ‘Ahalkalakets,’ Hooker feinted at him, and his reflexive reaction was a headbutt that sent UFC staff scrambling.

“No one should try to scare me, punch me, or whatever,” he stated, emphasizing that this moment was not for show. But the true fire started when the Armenian began talking about the fight itself. He doesn’t just want to win; he wants to drag Hooker into deep water. “I got 25 minutes, but now I want to make him so tired and just cut his whole face and don’t finish him too early,” Tsarukyan said.

“I want to get his life, you know, like, heart damage.” It was not trash talk. It was a promise of the type of fight he intended to bring. Dan Hooker, for his part, did not flinch. After getting headbutted, he smiled into the microphone and stated, “I love it—bring it on.”

The New Zealander has been embracing the craziness all week, and the altercation hasn’t shaken him. If anything, it confirmed what he already knew: fight night would be violent. The stakes are now higher than ever. Arman Tsarukyan returns from injury, hoping to reclaim his momentum, while Hooker attempts to derail the division’s top lightweight on the biggest stage of the month.

Both men understand that a win brings them closer to Ilia Topuria. And, after a headbutt that nearly blew up fight week, the only place left for them to settle is inside the cage, where no feint, stare-down, or security can stand in the way. However, it is worth noting that this wasn’t the first time that the Armenian ended up losing his cool, as not too long ago, ‘Ahalkalakets’ was fined for hitting a fan.

Arman Tsarukyan faced suspension and a massive fine for a violent altercation

And the stare-down was not Arman Tsarukyan’s first outburst. Even with his elite skills and disciplined style, he has had instances when emotion took over, including one that cost him far more than a tense weigh-in ever could. Earlier this year, at UFC 300, during his walkout for the Charles Oliveira bout, a fan shouted something that pushed Tsarukyan over the edge, and he snapped.

‘Ahalkalakets’ threw a right hand at the fan and was instantly punished. The Nevada State Athletic Commission withdrew 20% of his fight payout and eventually imposed a nine-month suspension and $25,000 fine. The ban could be reduced to six months if he completed an anti-bullying PSA, but the harm had already been done.

The timing could not have been worse. After defeating Oliveira by split decision the same night, the UFC expected him to step in swiftly for a title opportunity against Islam Makhachev, which the suspension rendered impossible. Even though the fan later apologized, the incident showed exactly what resurfaced at the Hooker weigh-ins: when Tsarukyan is provoked, things can escalate real fast.