An early morning event for those of us in North America, UFC Fight Night Doha is set to be an action-packed card from start to finish. With showdowns between top contenders across multiple divisions, this Saturday’s event is set to leave lasting effects on the future of the UFC. With multiple high-stakes battles set to take place live from Qatar, why not raise them even further with our UFC Fight Night Doha: Tsarukyan vs. Hooker picks, predictions, & best odds?
Below, we’ve highlighted where you can get the best value on each of the main card bouts scheduled for UFC Fight Night Doha, as well as expert insight & analysis on each bout, along with my top moneymaking prop bets.
Don’t wait, get some skin in on this weekend’s scraps and come out swinging as we look to knock out the online sportsbooks with our UFC Doha best bets.
- Kyoji Horiguchi by DEC (+280)
- Waldo Cortes-Acost by DEC
- Jack Hermansson by DEC (+370)
- Volkan Oezdemir by KO/TKO/DQ (+145)
- Ian Machado Garry by DEC (-125)
- Arman Tsarukyan by SUB (+375)
Arman Tsarukyan to Win by SUB
Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
Best Odds on Ulanbekov to Win: -200 (bet365)
Best Odds on Horiguchi to Win: +175 (BET99)
Kicking off the main card with a flyweight banger, Tagir Ulanbekov will look to defend his spot in the Top-15 as he takes on former title challenger Kyoji Horiguchi. Making his return to the UFC after bouncing around RIZIN and Bellator over the past decade, look for Horiguchi to pick up where he left off in 2016, picking up a big win in his UFC comeback.
Having found no shortage of success across the globe in every fight league he’s been a part of, Horiguchi is primed to make another push toward UFC gold, starting with his upcoming clash with Ulanbekov. Having claimed both RIZIN and Bellator Championships over the past decade, Horiguchi has long been one of the top fighters outside the UFC.
In his previous stint with the UFC, Horiguchi went 7-1, with his lone loss coming in a fifth-round submission loss against all-time great Demetrious Johnson with just one second remaining on the clock.
With a proven history of success behind him, Horiguchi is poised to get the better of Ulanbekov in their upcoming bout. While Ulanbekov is no slouch in his own right, having bested notable fighters such as Bruno Silva and Alan Nasciemento in his UFC tenure, he doesn’t have the tools to best Horiguchi. Reliant on his wrestling skillset to grind out decision wins, he’ll have a tough time taking down Horiguchi, who is a terrific grappler in his own right.
Additionally, Horiguchi is the far more dangerous fighter, having piled up 20 finishes across his 34 pro wins. With his ability to control the fight from multiple levels, bank on Horiguchi to layer on damage against Ulanbekov, avoiding the lay-and-pray strategy of his opponent. Instead, look for him to lead the dance, landing big shots over the course of three rounds as he scores a big win on the judges scorecards in his first fight back with the UFC in nearly a decade.
Prediction: Horiguchi by DEC (+280 @ BET99)
Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Shamil Gaziev
Best Odds on Cortes-Acosta to Win: -150 (BET99)
Best Odds on Gaziev to Win: +120 (BET99)
A last-minute addition to this Fight Night card, we’ll be treated to a battle between top-ranked UFC heavyweights as Waldo “Salsa Boy” Acosta takes on Shamil Gaziev. While he may have taken the fight on just 72 hours notice, look for Cortes-Acosta to make the most of this opportunity as he scores a decisive victory over Gaziev.
It may be hard to ignore the legitimate knockout power of Gaziev, but he’ll need to find ways to connect with his big shots, something that Cortes-Acosta does a fantastic job of doing. Aptly nicknamed “Salsa Boy”, look for Cortes-Acosta to dance around the heavy hands of Gaziev, using crisp jabs and multi-strike combinations to fluster the Russian fighter as he takes the fight into the later stages.
We’ve seen Gaziev fade in the later rounds of a fight before, something that will play right into the hands of the terrifically conditioned WCA. Look for Cortes-Acosta to pick up the short-notice win by decision, halting the momentum of his opponent, and notching his second win in just three weeks.
Prediction: Cortes-Acosta by DEC (N/A)
Jack Hermansson vs. Myktybek Orolbai
Best Odds on Hermansson to Win: +200 (Sports Interaction)
Best Odds on Orolbai to Win: -250 (BetVictor)
Dropping down to welterweight for the first time in his UFC career, Jack “The Joker” Hermansson will look to make a statement in his new division against Myktybek Orolbai. It may be his first time competing at 170 lbs, but look for Hermansson to utilize his superior experience and versatility to score himself a decision win over Orolbai.
Understandably, there’s plenty of hype surrounding Orolbai. After putting on a Fight of the Year contender with Mateusz Rebecki in 2024, the Kyrgyzstan fighter has shown he has deadly finishing skills inside the Octagon. Even with the momentum he’s quickly racked up since joining the UFC, he’s never faced a fighter of the same calibre as Hermansson.
Having shared the Octagon with top contenders such as Sean Strickland, Joe Pyfer, Gregory Rodrigues, and Roman Dolidze, Hermansson has a wealth of fight experience to draw on when facing off against the rising contender. Even down 15 lbs from his usual weight class, look for Hermansson’s superb wrestling ability to remain a major factor in the success the Swede garners.
Facing an opponent in Orolbai who’s struggled to defend takedowns in the UFC, entering this fight with just 40% takedown defence, look for Hermansson to bring the fight to the canvas, smothering his opponent with top position, and grinding out a decision victory when all is said and done as a hefty underdog.
Prediction: Hermansson by DEC (+370 @ BET99)
Volkan Oezdemir vs. Alonzo Menifield
Best Odds on Oezdemir to Win: -225 (bet365)
Best Odds on Menifield to Win: +190 (BetVictor)
In a battle between light heavyweight mainstays, don’t blink or you might miss the outcome of this scrap as Volkan “No Time” Oezdemir takes on “Atomic” Alonzo Menifield. Having looked greatly improved in recent trips to the Octagon, even at 36 years of age, bank on Oezdemir to score the emphatic knockout victory against Menifield.
With the stage set for a short-lived matchup between two dangerous strikers, look for the crisp standup ability of Oezdemir to lead to a massive victory over Menifield. Having scored recent victories over Bogdan Guskov and Johnny Walker, as well as a competitive matchup in a decision loss to Carlos Ulberg, Menifield won’t be able to compete with the firepower being sent his way.
Having been knocked out in both of his last two losses, the chin of Menifield is undoubtedly cause for concern. With this fight likely to remain standing, look for Oezdemir to live up to his moniker, wasting no time, and headhunting for a quick finish in this main card scrap, earning the early knockout win in the process.
Prediction: Oezdemir by KO/TKO/DQ (+145 @ BET99)
Belal Muhammad vs. Ian Machado Garry
Best Odds on Muhammad to Win: +240 (Sports Interaction)
Best Odds on Garry to Win: -250 (BetVictor)
A main event fight on almost any other card, we are in for a treat in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night Doha as former UFC Welterweight Champion Belal “Remember the Name” Muhammad makes his return to the octagon as he takes on top contender, Ian “The Future” Machado Garry. In a battle between two of the most-skilled fighters at 170 lbs, bank on Garry to earn the win by decision.
While there’s no ignoring the heart and determination of the former champ, Muhammad, he simply doesn’t have an edge in any aspect of this bout. Sporting a four-inch height advantage to go along with a nearly three-inch edge in reach, Garry is the more well-rounded and dangerous fighter in this matchup.
As Muhammad is expected to be aggressive in his wrestling approach, look for Garry’s length to keep his opponent at bay, landing cleanly with long straight shots and piling up damage over the course of this three-round affair. Even if Muhammad is able to clinch, Garry is a sensational grappler in his own right and has the skill set to counter his opponent’s wrestling.
It’s truly a shame that this matchup isn’t scheduled for a full five rounds, but we’ll take a thrilling three-round affair. After the dust settles, look for Garry to finish with his hand raised as he cements himself as the potential next contender for the Undisputed Welterweight Championship.
Prediction: Garry by DEC (-125 @ Sports Interaction)
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Dan Hooker
Best Odds on Tsarukyan to Win: -500 (BetVictor)
Best Odds on Hooker to Win: +405 (BET99)
Expect plenty of fireworks in the main event of UFC Doha, as Arman “Ahalkalakets” Tsarukyan squares off with Dan “Hangman” Hooker in what could establish the next title challenger at lightweight. While both combatants are as deadly as they come at 155 lbs, look for Tsarukyan to extend his four-fight win streak as he submits Hooker in the early stages of this five-round affair.
Seemingly evolving every time we see him in the octagon, Tsarukyan is touted by many fight fans as the best fighter in the UFC lightweight division. After being forced to pull out of his lightweight title fight with Islam Makhachev back in January of this year, Tsarukyan is primed to reestablish himself as the number-one contender with a win over the dangerous Kiwi, Hooker.
Holding only a puncher’s chance of winning, while Hooker is as tough as they come, the overall skill difference in this main event clash is stark. With a weak grappling skillset, watch as Tsarukyan quickly brings this fight the mat, controlling his opponent with ease before locking in a fight-ending submission in the early rounds of the bout.
While he’s never won a bout by submission in his UFC tenure, Tsarukyan has five pro wins by tapout, and he’s recently been competing on the grappling circuit, winning his last two matches by submission. Facing an opponent in Hooker who’s been submitted in three of his six pro defeats inside the distance, look for Tsarukyan to waste no time bringing this fight to the ground, capping off the night with an emphatic submission victory, and netting you a hefty boost to your bankroll.
Prediction: Tsarukayn by SUB (+375 @ BET99)
UFC Fight Night Prelim Picks
- Freeman by KO/TKO/DQ (+120)
- Aliev by DEC (-110)
- Loder by DEC (+350)
- Almakhan by KO/TKO/DQ (+250)
- Yakhyaev by KO/TKO/DQ (-150)
- Almabayev by DEC (+115)
- Izagakhmaev by SUB (+400)
- Grad by KO/TKO/DQ (+650)