Ryan Loder Aims for First UFC Win at Fight Night in Doha

Doha, Qatar — Ryan Loder, the winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 32, is eager to secure his first victory in the UFC at the upcoming Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Hooker on November 22, 2025. Following a tough knockout loss to Azamat Bekoev during his UFC debut, Loder committed to refining his skills and identifying areas of improvement.

In May 2025, Loder faced Bekoev at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, but, despite his excitement to fight, he acknowledged he wasn’t fully prepared. ‘The loss was tough, but we always learn from that,’ Loder said. ‘I mean, this is my 11th fight in four years, so it’s a learning process.’

To enhance his striking, Loder sought the expertise of UFC veteran Viacheslav Borshchev. The two traveled to Thailand to train at Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA, where Loder dedicated himself to daily practices and sparring sessions. ‘We had a lot of different sparring partners that were different,’ he explained. ‘It was good to put myself out there and test what we’ve been working on.’

At 34, Loder is relatively new to mixed martial arts, having turned professional in October 2021. Before his debut, he participated in nine fights, with two victories leading to The Ultimate Fighter finale. He maintains a straightforward perspective about needing more experience to improve.

As he prepares to face Ismail Naurdiev, Loder is focused on implementing his own game plan, which incorporates his wrestling background along with recent enhancements to his striking skills. Naurdiev has had a mixed record in the Octagon, which Loder sees as an opportunity to showcase his growth.

‘I can’t change anything that happened. It’s a learning experience,’ said Loder. ‘Now I get to showcase like, OK, now it’s a different fighter. And each time I come out, I’m a different fighter. I’m just getting better.’

Fans can catch the action live from the ABHA Arena in Doha, with prelims starting at 10 a.m. ET and the main card at 1 p.m. ET.