RAF 8 featured multiple wrestling matches with Arman Tsarukyan defeating Urijah Faber by technical superiority 13-1 in the third round as the main event. Kyle Snyder defeated Rizabek Aitmukhan by decision 12-6. Zahid Valencia won against Aiden Sinclair 8-2. Shamil Sharipov pinned Anthony Cassiopi in the first round. Helen Maroulis achieved technical superiority over Alexis Yaniak 10-0 in the second round. Other notable results included victories for Real Woods, Jason Nolf, Vladimer Khinchegashvili, Lance Palmer, Jordan Oliver, and Lucas Byrd.
Arman Tsarukyan added a wrestling trophy to his combat sports resume on April 19 at RAF 8, defeating Urijah Faber by technical superiority with a 13-1 score in the third round to claim the main event.
Tsarukyan, 29, enters 2026 as one of the most dangerous fighters in mixed martial arts. The Russian native and American Top Team product holds a 23-3 professional MMA record and currently sits ranked first in the UFC lightweight division. Standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, he averages 3.85 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy and piles up 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes — numbers that reflect a complete, high-output game. His dominant outing at RAF 8 underscores that his wrestling credentials extend well beyond the cage.
On the other side of the mat stood Faber, the 47-year-old American legend known as "The California Kid." Competing out of his own Team Alpha Male, Faber carries a 35-11 MMA record built largely in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions. He stands five-foot-six with a 67-inch reach and has long relied on explosive takedowns and submission pressure throughout his career. The 13-1 scoreline suggests Tsarukyan controlled the exchanges decisively, though Faber's willingness to compete at this level at 47 remains a testament to his longevity in combat sports.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's wrestling performance at RAF 8 reinforces the grappling foundation behind his UFC lightweight contender status
- The lopsided technical superiority score highlights the gap between the two competitors on the mat
- Faber's continued participation in high-level wrestling competition at 47 keeps the veteran in the public eye outside of MMA
