Arman Tsarukyan defeated Urijah Faber by technical superiority with a score of 13-1 in the third round at RAF 08. The event featured multiple wrestling matches with notable outcomes including Kyle Snyder defeating Rizabek Aitmukhan by points 12-6, and Shamil Sharipov pinning Anthony Cassiopppi in the first round. Other results included victories by Zahid Valencia, Helen Maroulis, Real Woods, Jason Nolf, Vladimer Khinchegashvili, Lance Palmer, Jordan Oliver, and Lucas Byrd in their respective matches. The tournament showcased a mix of Olympic-style wrestling competition featuring current and former MMA fighters alongside wrestling specialists.
Arman Tsarukyan added a wrestling trophy to his combat sports resume on April 19, 2026, defeating UFC veteran Urijah Faber by technical superiority at the RAF 08 wrestling event, with the match stopped in the third round after Tsarukyan built a dominant 13-1 scoring advantage.
Tsarukyan, 29, enters this period as one of MMA's most dangerous lightweights, holding the number one ranking in the UFC's 155-pound division with a professional record of 23-3. The Russia-born American Top Team product stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach and is known for relentless grappling pressure, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes inside the cage. His performance at RAF 08 was consistent with that identity, controlling Faber on the mat throughout the bout.
Faber, at 47, remains an active competitor long after his UFC career wound down. The California Kid carries a career MMA record of 35-11 and built his legacy as one of the most decorated bantamweights and featherweights of his generation, representing Team Alpha Male out of Sacramento. Standing five-foot-six with a 67-inch reach, Faber averaged 1.54 takedowns per 15 minutes during his MMA career, though the pure wrestling format at RAF 08 presented a different challenge against a specialist-level grappler nearly two decades his junior.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's dominant technical performance underlines the elite wrestling base behind his top-ranked UFC lightweight standing
- The result adds competitive context to Faber's continued activity as a combat sports athlete well into his late 40s
- RAF 08 highlighted the overlap between MMA and Olympic-style wrestling, featuring current fighters alongside decorated wrestling specialists such as Kyle Snyder, Helen Maroulis, and Jason Nolf
