In the main news from UFC RAF this week, Arman Tsarukyan defeated Urijah Faber with a dominant 13-1 score in their wrestling match. The victory featured dramatic moments including Tsarukyan throwing Faber outside the mat boundaries and executing a high-amplitude throw. The lopsided score demonstrates Tsarukyan's complete control throughout the contest. This performance at the wrestling event highlights Tsarukyan's grappling credentials as he continues his mixed martial arts career. The bout served as one of the headline attractions for the RAF wrestling promotion.
Arman Tsarukyan added another chapter to his grappling résumé on April 19, 2026, defeating Urijah Faber by a commanding 13-1 score at a RAF wrestling event, with highlight moments that included throwing Faber clean off the mat boundaries and landing a high-amplitude throw that drew considerable attention.
Tsarukyan, 29, carries a 23-3 professional MMA record and currently holds the number-one contender ranking in the UFC lightweight division. The Russian fighter, who trains out of American Top Team, stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach and backs up his wrestling credentials with MMA numbers to match — averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing significant strikes at a 50 percent accuracy clip.
Faber, known as "The California Kid," is 47 years old and holds a 35-11-0 MMA record accumulated across a long career competing primarily at bantamweight and featherweight. The Team Alpha Male product stands five-foot-six with a 67-inch reach and built his reputation in part on an active submission game, averaging 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes over his career.
Why it matters
- The lopsided 13-1 score underlines Tsarukyan's takedown-heavy grappling style, which already ranks among the most active in the lightweight division
- For Faber, the result is a noteworthy defeat against a fighter nearly two decades his junior and operating at the top of a heavier weight class
- The performance keeps Tsarukyan's wrestling credentials in the spotlight as he pursues a shot at the UFC lightweight title
