Arman Tsarukyan scored a dominant 13-1 victory over Urijah Faber at a UFC RAF wrestling event this week. During the match, Tsarukyan threw Faber outside the mat boundaries before executing a high-amplitude throw. The lopsided score demonstrates Tsarukyan's complete control throughout the wrestling bout. This was identified as one of the main news stories from the UFC RAF event this week.
Arman Tsarukyan added another notable result to his resume this week, defeating Urijah Faber by a commanding 13-1 score at a UFC RAF wrestling event. Tsarukyan controlled the bout throughout, at one point throwing Faber beyond the mat boundaries before landing a high-amplitude throw that underscored his dominance on the mat.
Tsarukyan, 29, enters 2026 as the No. 1 ranked lightweight contender with a professional MMA record of 23-3. The Russian fighter out of American Top Team stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach and has built his reputation on relentless pressure and elite wrestling, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking accuracy of 50 percent. His grappling credentials were on full display in this wrestling-only format.
Faber, the 47-year-old veteran known as "The California Kid," holds a career MMA record of 35-11 and remains one of the sport's most recognizable figures. The Team Alpha Male representative stands five-foot-six with a 67-inch reach. A former WEC bantamweight champion, Faber has long been regarded as a capable wrestler and submission threat, averaging 1.54 takedowns and 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes over his career.
Why it matters
- The result highlights Tsarukyan's wrestling credentials at a high level, reinforcing his standing as a legitimate grappling threat in addition to his striking game.
- A 13-1 margin reflects near-total control, a notable performance for a lightweight contender competing in a dedicated wrestling format.
- For Faber, competing at 47 against one of the sport's elite young contenders, the result reflects the significant gap in age and competitive tier between the two.
