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UFC Qatar delivered one of the most dramatic cards of the year, headlined by Arman Tsarukyan’s decisive submission victory over Dan Hooker in a performance that reshaped the lightweight landscape. The entire event was filled with stunning finishes, breakout moments, and high-level tactical battles that immediately changed multiple divisional conversations. From rapid first round knockouts to statement wins from rising contenders, this card had every element that fight fans look for. In today’s episode, we break down the key moments, turning points, and implications for every major contender who stepped into the cage.
Episode Transcript
It's late in LA.
The fight tapping in.
Episode 62.
How it does.
UFC Qatar.
Listen.
We got up at 10 a.m.
Okay?
We was up till 10 a.m.
till 10 a.m.
12 hours of violence.
10 a.m.
to 10 p.m.
I watched boxing and UFC all dayyesterday.
(00:23):
First of all, fantastic bothcards.
First of all, fantastic showingfor UFC Qatar.
Top to bottom, the prelims wereexciting.
The main card was exciting.
And the people I thought wasgoing to win won.
So let's get into it.
The fight 62.
Listen, OG Koji is coming off ofa, you know, he hasn't been in
(00:45):
the UC for a while.
And he's fighting one of theguys that's under Islam, under
the Dagestani crew, and hewashed him, beat his ass, lost
the first round, and round twoand three, he put belt to S.
He outstruck him, he outwrestled him, he out he had
better jujitsu, he better groundcontrol.
(01:06):
It was crazy to see because theguys coming from Dagestan come
from such a pedigree, you know,with Kabib in them, that there
has to be a real skill gap orpower gap or something like that
for a person to win usually.
But this guy had everything inspades.
That division is they got aheadache.
They got a headache.
(01:26):
Pantoja's gonna have to dealwith them.
They trained together.
He called them out too.
So let's see what happens.
Exciting fighter, excitingfight, and kicks off the car
great.
Waldo was just here, I'm prettysure, two weeks ago, where he
got eye poked and then hedropped somebody, and that guy
was the one that who was asparring partner for Tom
(01:47):
Espinall.
So now he's, you know, reallyplaying into the pirate thing.
He's wearing an eye patch andshit.
So shout out to him.
He got it done in one, put hisman down.
Listen, man, you can't just goout there, you know, just
throwing punches, bro.
Like, you gotta have a plan.
His opponent did not have aplan.
He just wanted to land first andhe didn't.
(02:08):
He he got countered and he gotdropped and it was over.
Like, you can't go out therewith top-tier talent like that
and think you're gonna win withjust one tool of victory.
Jack Hermanson got dropped.
Round one KO.
Might Tebek.
I mean, he put Belt to S.
He was hunting for the knockoutfrom the beginning of the round,
(02:30):
from the onset.
He was just trying to close therange and land an overhand
right, and he's as soon as hedid, he dropped.
I don't like that Jack's comingfrom a different weight class.
He's coming and shrinking down.
I think he's on his way out.
This may be his last fight.
I hope so.
It's just a lot of damage, a lotof fighting, and a long career.
(02:50):
A long career.
He's a long standing fighter inthe EOC.
Long-standing warrior.
It's just that, like, after acertain amount of damage, man,
we gotta get you out of there.
Shout out to Menebeck.
He got it done in one.
I knew Vulcan was gonna win.
Malonzo is great, but hisstriking defense is horrendous.
(03:12):
He he can't he has to be thehammer.
If he's not the hammer, he'sjust gonna be a real beat up
now.
And he got beat up towardsdefense, got crowded, knees,
punches, and bunches, and heended the fight right there.
It it is no head movement, nojab, no setups.
These are big boys too, so youcan't really just play around as
(03:34):
far as these exchanges.
Like this shit is serious.
And Vulcan's a serious guy.
Like he's a powerful guy.
I knew he was gonna do that.
Alonzo is beating a lot of theserookies who aren't ready for his
power or you know, hisathleticism.
But if you're in the sport longenough, you know how to cope
with those things.
And Vulcan coped and overcame.
Now, speaking of overcoming, Ithought Ian Gary was gonna lose
(03:58):
this fight.
I thought Balau was going tocontrol him.
And guys, if Balau can't controlhim, Islam's gonna have a hard
time controlling him.
Ian Gary is very, very good withhis takedown defense, and he's
been fighting a lot of wrestleheavy, grappler-heavy fighters.
(04:19):
So now he's sharpened to thepoint that it's gonna be an
issue if you try to push for thetakedown.
If you can't get a takedown,you're gonna get picked apart.
Ian Gary picked Bilal apart.
It was no part of the fightwhere I thought Bilau was in it.
I thought he was losing.
I thought he was looking forways out.
I think he was he's older too.
(04:41):
Like he can take the punches,but he can't keep up with the
skill, the speed, and technique.
I think Ian's call out of Islamafterwards was fantastic.
I do think he should get firstdibs.
These guys were fighting otherolder contenders.
Balau's the former champ.
That's the best person you canget on your resume.
All Ian was missing was a youknow a finish, but he was smart.
(05:06):
Balau hurt him a couple times.
He did some damage as well, butlike Ian Gary, he did exactly
what he was supposed to do.
And I think a three-round fightserved him well against Balau.
I don't know how it will lookfor Ian Gary in a five-round
fight where Islam gets a lot oftime, 25 minutes, to create that
(05:28):
situation in which you got todeal with the striking and the
wrestling, the striking andwrestling.
Then you get you start to loseconfidence in one or the either.
So it was good to see what hecan do.
I think he has the skills tobeat Islam, but can he beat
Islam?
I don't think so.
I think Islam striking isunderrated.
I think Islam striking is highenough that even if he can't
(05:49):
take you down, he could beat youon the feet.
If Dustin Poirier never gottaken down and choked out, he
still would have lost that fighton the feet.
So it's he's a high-levelfighter.
I'm sure you got a couple morefights and he's gonna retire
soon.
So the welterweight division isgonna have to deal with Ian Gary
sooner or later.
Shout out to him, shout out tothe future of the UFC
(06:12):
welterweight division.
Uh hopefully, you know, Usmithversus Islam happens, but like
if it doesn't happen, it doesn'thappen.
But Usmith versus Islam is agreat fight.
But it, you know, Usma's old, soI get it.
Like it's Ian's time.
Let's see what Ian can do.
Now, going into the last fight,I knew Armand was gonna win this
fight.
I knew he could beat himanywhere.
(06:33):
He was hurting them on the feet,he destroyed them on the ground.
The skill gap was high, it wasnoticeable, it was apparent.
This guy's ready for the champ,and Ilya Tapoya has to fight
this guy, or he has to vacateand move up or do something else
because this is the number onecontender.
This is the best challenge forhim and his skill set, and I
(06:54):
think Armand can be champion atthat weight class.
Everybody else against him.
I think Ilya Tapora can just hecan catch him and he can put him
down, but Armand can force awrestling exchange, force a
grappling exchange to the pointwhere he's mixing it up as well.
That is the fight to make thefight tap in.
(07:15):
UFC Qatar was amazing.
Episode 62.
Thank y'all for tapping in.
Tap in then.
It's La NL.
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