RAF 08 results: Tsarukyan wins 13-1, Snyder defeats Aitmukhan

Arman Tsarukyan added a wrestling title to his combat sports résumé at RAF 08 on April 19, 2026, defeating Urijah Faber by technical superiority with a dominant 13-1 score in the third round. Kyle Snyder also earned a victory on the card, edging Rizabek Aitmukhan 12-6 on points.

Tsarukyan, 29, enters any competition as a dangerous presence on the mat. The Russian fighter currently holds the number-one ranking in the UFC lightweight division and carries a 23-3 professional MMA record with Team American Top Team. Standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, he averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes inside the Octagon, and his 13-1 margin over Faber reflected that same wrestling aggression in a pure grappling context.

Urijah Faber, the 47-year-old veteran known as The California Kid, represented Team Alpha Male and holds a career MMA record of 35-11. The five-foot-six Californian has long relied on his grappling background throughout his career, but Tsarukyan's superior scrambling and top control proved too much across three rounds.

Elsewhere on the RAF 08 card, Zahid Valencia defeated Aiden Sinclair 8-2 by points, while Helen Maroulis was similarly dominant, stopping Alexis Yaniak via 10-0 technical superiority in round two. Anthony Cassioppie suffered a first-round pinfall loss to Shamil Sharipov. Wins were also recorded for Real Woods, Jason Nolf, Vladimer Khinchegashvili, Lance Palmer, Jordan Oliver, and Lucas Bird in their respective bouts.

Why it matters

• Tsarukyan's commanding wrestling performance reinforces his credentials ahead of a potential lightweight title shot
• Faber, at 47, continues to compete in combat sports formats well beyond his UFC career
• The card served as a showcase for several athletes with MMA ties, highlighting the overlap between elite wrestling and professional fighting