Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington held a face-off and agreed to meet in an upcoming wrestling match. The two UFC fighters came to terms on the bout following their staredown. No specific date or event was mentioned for the wrestling contest. This agreement adds another high-profile matchup to the crossover wrestling scene featuring MMA fighters.
Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington have agreed to face each other in a wrestling match after the two UFC fighters held a faceoff, adding another high-profile MMA crossover bout to the growing competitive wrestling scene.
Tsarukyan, ranked first in the UFC lightweight division, carries a 23-3-0 record and is one of the most well-rounded competitors in the sport at just 29 years old. The Russian fighter, who trains out of American Top Team, stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach. 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 legitimate threat on the mat as well as on the feet.
Covington, nicknamed "Chaos," brings a 17-5-0 professional record and remains one of the most recognizable wrestlers to have competed in the UFC's welterweight division. The 38-year-old American, who fights out of MMA Masters, stands five-foot-eleven and shares the same 72-inch reach as Tsarukyan. He averages 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands 3.81 significant strikes per minute, a testament to the pressure-heavy, grappling-forward style he has built his career around.
Why it matters
- Both fighters post nearly identical takedown averages above 3.2 per 15 minutes, setting up a technically competitive wrestling contest
- Covington's celebrated wrestling pedigree meets Tsarukyan's sharp scrambling and top-level grappling credentials
- No official date or event has been announced, leaving the timeline for the matchup unclear
- The bout continues a broader trend of UFC athletes competing in crossover wrestling formats outside the octagon
