Kiwi lightweight Dan Hooker will stake his claim for a title shot when he faces Arman Tsarukyan in the main event at UFC Fight Night Qatar on November 23.
Hooker, 35, is riding a three-fight winning streak in the UFC, which has him ranked sixth at 155-pounds.
A statement win over the second-ranked Tsarukyan will almost certainly put 'The Hangman' at the front of the queue for a shot at Ilia Topuria's belt.
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Tsarukyan, who was scheduled to fight Islam Makhachev for the lightweight crown in January before pulling out with a back injury, is on a four-fight winning run of his own.
The 28-year-old Armenian will be hoping to restamp his credentials for a title shot with a victory over the City Kickboxing product.
The co-main event has been confirmed for UFC Qatar, a welterweight No.1 contender matchup between Belal Muhammad and Ian Machado Garry with the full card to be locked in over the coming weeks.
UFC Fight Night Qatar confirmed bouts
- Arman Tsarukyan vs. Dan Hooker; lightweight
- Belal Muhammad vs. Ian Machado Garry; welterweight