Dan Hooker laughed in surprise after being told Paddy Pimblett had climbed to fifth in the UFC lightweight rankings, reacting with a brief “how?” during media duties ahead of his upcoming bout in Qatar.

Hooker, 35, was speaking before his fight with Arman Tsarukyan on Saturday to reporters, including The Mac Life, when he was informed of Pimblett’s new position in the 155-pound ledger. The shift followed Islam Makhachev’s removal from the lightweight standings after winning the welterweight title, prompting all fighters in the division to move up.

“How? They must be giving him the title shot,” said Hooker. “They must be cherry-picking him for the title shot. It is what it is.”

Pimblett, 30, last competed in April, stopping Michael Chandler in the third round. The Liverpool fighter has seven wins from seven in the UFC but has yet to defeat an opponent currently ranked inside the lightweight top 10.

The direction of Pimblett’s next move remains uncertain, with the Englishman publicly calling for a title bout against Ilia Topuria. Meanwhile, the matchup between sixth-ranked Hooker and No.1-ranked Tsarukyan could influence the next challenger for the championship.

Topuria holds knockout victories over Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway, ranked second and third respectively, while Justin Gaethje sits in fourth as another contender. Pimblett, who is in Doha alongside team-mates Luke Riley and Shem Rock for their UFC debuts, is viewed as an additional potential option.

Pimblett may encounter Topuria in Qatar, with the champion present in his brother Alexandre’s corner for his fight against Bekzat Almakhan.