At RAF 08, Arman Tsarukyan defeated Urijah Faber by technical superiority with a score of 13-1 in the third round. The event featured multiple wrestling matches with notable results including Kyle Snyder defeating Rizabek Aitmukhan 12-6, and Shamil Sharipov pinning Anthony Cassiopi in the first round. Helen Maroulis achieved a technical superiority victory over Alexis Yaniak with a 10-0 score in the second round. The full card featured eleven wrestling bouts across various weight classes with victories by decision, technical superiority, and pinfall. This was part of the RAF wrestling league's eighth numbered event.
Arman Tsarukyan and Urijah Faber met at RAF 08 on April 19, 2026, in a wrestling contest that ended with Tsarukyan claiming a technical superiority victory by a 13-1 score in the third round.
Tsarukyan, 29, holds a 23-3-0 record in MMA competition and is ranked number one in the UFC lightweight division. The Russian fighter, who trains out of American Top Team, stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach. Known for his wrestling-heavy style inside the cage, he averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes in MMA bouts and lands 3.85 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent accuracy rate.
Faber, the 47-year-old veteran nicknamed The California Kid, carries a 35-11-0 professional MMA record and has long been associated with Team Alpha Male in Sacramento. The five-foot-six fighter operates out of an orthodox stance with a 67-inch reach, and his MMA career reflects a well-rounded game that includes 1.54 takedowns per 15 minutes and 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
RAF 08 featured eleven wrestling bouts in total. Among the other notable results, Kyle Snyder defeated Rizabek Aitmukhan 12-6, Shamil Sharipov pinned Anthony Cassiopi in the first round, and Helen Maroulis recorded a 10-0 technical superiority win over Alexis Yaniak in the second round. The event marked the eighth installment of the RAF wrestling league's numbered series.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's dominant 13-1 score in a competitive wrestling format underlines his grappling credentials ahead of any future UFC lightweight title pursuit
- Faber's participation at 47 in a structured wrestling league demonstrates continued athletic activity well beyond his UFC career
- The broader RAF 08 card featured high-profile wrestling talent across multiple weight classes, reinforcing the league's growing profile
