Arman Tsarukyan defeated Urijah Faber by technical superiority with a score of 13-1 in the third round at RAF 8. The event also featured several other wrestling matches including Kyle Snyder defeating Rizabek Aitmukhametov 12-6, and Shamil Sharipov defeating Anthony Cassioppoli by pinfall in the first round. Helen Maroulis won by technical superiority 10-0 in the second round against Alexis Janiak. Additional results included victories by Zahid Valencia, Real Woods, Jason Nolf, Vladimer Khinchegashvili, Lance Palmer, Jordan Oliver, and Lucas Byrd in their respective matchups. This was a full wrestling card separate from MMA competition.
Arman Tsarukyan added a wrestling result to his resume on April 19, 2026, defeating Urijah Faber by technical superiority with a score of 13-1 in the third round at the RAF 8 wrestling event — a full grappling card entirely separate from MMA competition.
Tsarukyan, 29, is currently the No. 1-ranked lightweight contender in the UFC with a professional MMA record of 23-3. The Russian fighter, who competes out of American Top Team, stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach and has built a reputation as one of the division's most complete athletes, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking accuracy of 50 percent in MMA. His performance at RAF 8 underscored the wrestling credentials that underpin his grappling game.
Faber, known as "The California Kid," is a 47-year-old veteran from the United States who competed under the Team Alpha Male banner. The former WEC Featherweight Champion carries an MMA record of 35-11 and remains one of the most accomplished fighters ever produced by American combat sports. At five-foot-six with a 67-inch reach, Faber's athleticism and competitive spirit have never been in question, though the final score of 13-1 reflected the gap between the two men on this occasion.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's dominant wrestling performance reinforces his credentials as a well-rounded threat in the lightweight division
- The result comes from a legitimate competitive wrestling format, offering a rare public look at his pure grappling ability outside the cage
- Faber's willingness to compete in wrestling at 47 against a top-ranked UFC contender speaks to the culture of cross-discipline competition that events like RAF 8 promote
The card also featured victories by Kyle Snyder, Helen Maroulis, Zahid Valencia, Jason Nolf, and several other prominent wrestling names across multiple bouts.
