Arman Tsarukyan has stated his goal is to silence Colby Covington after their upcoming wrestling match in the RAF league. Tsarukyan boldly predicted he will defeat Covington by a score of 10-0. The callout comes as both fighters prepare for their wrestling bout outside of MMA competition. Tsarukyan appears highly confident heading into the matchup against the former UFC title challenger.
Arman Tsarukyan has set an ambitious target ahead of his upcoming wrestling bout with Colby Covington in the RAF league, publicly predicting he will shut out the former UFC title challenger by a score of 10-0.
Tsarukyan, 29, enters the matchup as the number-one ranked lightweight contender in the UFC, carrying 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 and has built a reputation as a well-rounded threat, landing 3.85 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent accuracy rate while also averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Covington, 38, nicknamed "Chaos," brings his own decorated wrestling credentials to the match. The American out of MMA Masters holds a 17-5 MMA record and has long been recognized as one of the sport's most relentless grapplers, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career. He stands five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach.
Why it matters
- The bout takes place outside of MMA competition, in the RAF wrestling league, adding an unusual competitive backdrop for two fighters known primarily in the cage
- Tsarukyan's bold 10-0 prediction signals a clear confidence in his wrestling ability against one of the UFC's most decorated grappling specialists
- Any result could carry psychological weight should the two ever meet inside the octagon, given Tsarukyan's standing as the top-ranked lightweight contender
- The matchup pits two fighters with nearly identical reach but a significant size and age gap against each other on the mat
