Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington held a faceoff and agreed to meet in an upcoming wrestling match, not an MMA bout. The post announces this development and asks fans to pick their favorite between the two fighters. Details about the specific wrestling organization, date, or location were not provided in the announcement. This appears to be a genuine agreement between the two fighters for a grappling-only contest.
Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington have agreed to compete against each other in a wrestling match after the two fighters met face to face, with the announcement surfacing on April 19, 2026. The contest will be a grappling-only affair rather than an MMA bout, though no wrestling organization, date, or location has been announced.
Tsarukyan, 29, enters the matchup as one of the most dangerous lightweights on the planet. The Russian fighter out of American Top Team holds a 23-3 record and sits at number one in the lightweight divisional rankings. He lands 3.85 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent accuracy rate and averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a credible threat in both disciplines.
Covington, 38, brings elite wrestling credentials of his own to the table. Known as "Chaos," the American from MMA Masters carries a 17-5 record and has long been regarded as one of the top grapplers in the welterweight division. He averages 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes across his MMA career, a number that underscores why he remains a relevant name in any wrestling conversation.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes versus Covington's 3.64 sets up a genuine wrestling clash between two high-volume grapplers
- The matchup crosses weight classes, pitting the top-ranked lightweight against a longtime welterweight contender
- No sanctioning body or ruleset has been confirmed, leaving the format of the contest unclear
- Fan interest is already being gauged publicly, suggesting the event could attract significant attention if details are finalized
