Dan Hooker targets return vs. Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 317

Dan Hooker wants to settle things with Arman Tsarukyan at International Fight Week.

Hooker (24-12 MMA, 14-8 UFC) and Tsarukyan have recently been trading barbs, with Hooker questioning Tsarukyan’s last-day withdrawal from UFC 311. Tsarukyan jumped at the opportunity to fire back when Hooker pulled out of Saturday’s UFC 313 co-main event against Justin Gaethje due to a fractured hand.

Although he underwent surgery to repair his hand, “The Hangman” doesn’t expect to be sidelined for too long. He’s aiming to return on the June 28 card at UFC 317, and wants Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) next.

“He come at me this week. He took a shot at me,” Hooker told Sky Sports New Zealand on Tsarukyan. “If you go back, he does an interview with Nina Drama where he’s actually creeping on her. Like, it’s weird. And a lot of people don’t know that her husband is the cameraman, as well, which makes it even more creepy.

“You think just because your dad is rich and you’re a UFC fighter, this woman is going to cheat on her husband in front of (him)? This kid is unreal, bro. But (it will be) another loss for him. I’d like to fight him when I come back. International Fight Week, I’ll kick Arman right in the monobrow. He waxes it – we all know that. Let it grow out, son.”

Tsarukyan cited a back injury as the reason for withdrawing from his title fight against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 in January. Dana White said Tsarukyan won’t have his title-fight rematch rebooked next.