Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington engaged in a staredown and verbally agreed to face each other in an upcoming wrestling match. The confrontation appears to have taken place at a UFC RAF event. Both fighters committed to the bout during their face-off exchange. No official date or event has been announced for the wrestling match. The post asks fans to pick their favorite between the two high-level wrestlers.
Reports emerged on April 19 that Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington verbally agreed to compete in a wrestling match after the pair met for a staredown at a UFC RAF event. No official date, venue, or promotional framework has been confirmed for the bout, and the agreement should be treated as unverified at this stage.
Tsarukyan, 29, enters the conversation as the number-one ranked lightweight contender and holds a professional MMA record of 23-3. 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, underlining the well-rounded grappling base that would make him a credible participant in any wrestling contest.
Covington, 38, nicknamed "Chaos," carries a 17-5 record and has built one of the sport's most recognizable wrestling-heavy identities over his career. The American, who fights out of MMA Masters, stands five-foot-eleven with a matching 72-inch reach. He averages 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands 3.81 significant strikes per minute, demonstrating that his offence extends well beyond the grappling game he is most associated with.
Why it matters
- Both fighters post nearly identical takedown averages, making a legitimate wrestling matchup genuinely competitive on paper
- Tsarukyan is the top-ranked lightweight contender, so any high-profile crossover appearance keeps his name at the forefront of divisional conversation
- Covington has no current divisional ranking in the verified data, meaning the contest carries more promotional than competitive weight for him
- The verbal nature of the agreement and lack of official announcement leave the entire story subject to change
