Arman Tsarukyan delivered a dominant performance against Urijah Faber, winning their RAF wrestling bout by a score of 13-1. During the match, Tsarukyan threw Faber outside the mat boundaries and executed a high-amplitude throw, showcasing his superior wrestling skills. The lopsided victory demonstrates Tsarukyan's wrestling credentials outside of MMA competition. Faber, a legendary MMA fighter known primarily for his UFC career, was thoroughly outclassed by the younger Armenian wrestler. This was highlighted as one of the main news items from UFC RAF events this week.
Arman Tsarukyan put on a commanding display of wrestling technique against Urijah Faber, defeating the MMA veteran 13-1 in a RAF wrestling match highlighted among UFC RAF events this week.
Tsarukyan, 29, enters this competition as the number-one ranked lightweight contender in the UFC, carrying a professional MMA record of 23-3. Representing Russia and training out of American Top Team, the fighter known as "Ahalkalakets" stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach. His wrestling credentials have long been evident inside the octagon, where he averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes in MMA competition — a rate that speaks to the grappling foundation on full display in this bout. Against Faber, he punctuated that dominance by throwing his opponent outside the mat boundaries and landing a high-amplitude throw.
Faber, nicknamed "The California Kid," is a 47-year-old American fighter with a storied MMA career that produced a 35-11 record. Standing five-foot-six with a 67-inch reach, the Team Alpha Male veteran built his reputation primarily in the UFC's bantamweight and featherweight divisions. He was thoroughly outclassed in the wrestling format, managing only a single point against Tsarukyan's thirteen.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's lopsided victory reinforces his credentials as one of the most complete grapplers at lightweight ahead of any future UFC title pursuit
- The 18-year age gap between the two competitors made the matchup a notable generational test for the decorated veteran Faber
- A 13-1 margin in competitive wrestling underscores the distance between Tsarukyan's wrestling base and that of a fighter whose MMA game was built around other strengths
