Arman Tsarukyan dominated Urijah Faber at RAF 8, winning by technical superiority with a score of 13-1 in the third round. The wrestling event featured multiple bouts with notable results including Kyle Snyder defeating Rizabek Aitmukhan 12-6, Zachid Valencia defeating Aiden Sinclair 8-2, and Shamil Sharipov pinning Anthony Cassiopi in the first round. Helen Marulis achieved a technical superiority victory over Alexis Janiak 10-0 in the second round. Other winners included Real Woods, Jason Nolf, Vladimer Khinchegashvili, Lance Palmer, Jordan Oliver, and Lucas Byrd in their respective matches.
Arman Tsarukyan stepped outside the MMA cage and onto the wrestling mat at RAF 8 on April 19, 2026, defeating MMA veteran Urijah Faber by technical superiority with a commanding 13-1 score in the third round.
Tsarukyan, 29, holds a 23-3-0 professional MMA record and is currently ranked number one in the UFC lightweight division. The Russian fighter out of American Top Team has built his reputation on a high-volume, well-rounded game, averaging 3.85 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy and a robust 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes inside the cage. His showing at RAF 8 demonstrated that his wrestling credentials extend well beyond MMA competition.
Faber, the 47-year-old California native known as "The California Kid," carries a storied 35-11-0 MMA record built largely at bantamweight and featherweight during a lengthy career with Team Alpha Male. Standing five-foot-six with a 67-inch reach, Faber has long been regarded as one of the sport's most decorated veterans, but he could not keep pace with Tsarukyan on the mat, managing only a single point against the dominant performance.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's lopsided win reinforces his elite wrestling credentials ahead of any future lightweight title pursuit
- Faber, competing in a pure wrestling format at 47, faced a significant physical and technical disadvantage against a fighter nearly two decades younger
- The RAF 8 card featured several other notable wrestlers and combat sports crossover athletes, signaling growing interest in these hybrid competitive formats
