Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington agree to wrestling match

UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan and former welterweight title challenger Colby Covington have agreed to compete against each other in a wrestling match, the two fighters confirmed following a face-off. No date, location, or promoting organization has been announced for the contest.

Tsarukyan, 29, enters the matchup as the number-one ranked lightweight in the UFC, carrying a record of 23-3-0. The Russian fighter, who trains out of American Top Team, stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach. He is a well-rounded threat on the feet, averaging 3.85 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent striking accuracy clip, while also posting 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes inside the cage.

Covington, nicknamed "Chaos," is a 38-year-old American out of MMA Masters with a professional record of 17-5-0. The former welterweight title challenger built his reputation largely on elite wrestling and relentless pressure, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes across his MMA career. He stands five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance.

Why it matters

• Tsarukyan is the UFC's top-ranked lightweight, so any high-profile activity outside the cage draws attention to the 155-pound division.
• Both fighters share near-identical reach at 72 inches, making their size difference — Covington holds a four-inch height advantage — a notable physical variable in a pure wrestling format.
• Covington's MMA identity is built on wrestling volume, while Tsarukyan's grappling credentials at American Top Team give the matchup genuine competitive intrigue.
• No sanctioning body, ruleset, or timeline has been confirmed, leaving the scope of the event unclear.