Arman Tsarukyan dominated Urijah Faber with a 13-1 technical superiority victory and immediately called out Colby Covington post-fight. Tsarukyan promised to aim for a 10-0 scorecard against Covington, saying he gave Faber one point out of respect for his age but will show no such mercy to Covington. He stated he will make people forget about Covington as a fighter and as a wrestler. The event also featured several exciting bouts including Vologdin-Castaneda, Nallo-Herbert, and Zhorden-Phillips. Gilbert Burns announced his retirement following the event, while Jack Della Maddalena is expected to enter the top-15 rankings despite questions about his potential against elite welterweights.
Arman Tsarukyan closed out a dominant performance at the RAF event on April 19, 2026, submitting Urijah Faber by a 13-1 technical superiority verdict and immediately turning his attention to Colby Covington in a post-fight callout.
Faber, the 47-year-old American veteran known as "The California Kid," entered the contest with a career record of 35-11. Fighting out of Team Alpha Male in an orthodox stance, the five-foot-six fighter has built a legacy on grit and tenacity, averaging 1.54 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career. Tsarukyan acknowledged that history, paraphrasing that he deliberately gifted Faber one point on the scorecard out of respect for his age — a courtesy he made clear he will not extend to Covington. He stated his intention to run a perfect 10-0 scorecard against Covington and promised to make people forget Covington entirely, both as a fighter and as a wrestler.
Elsewhere on the card, Gilbert Burns, ranked 13th in the welterweight division, announced his retirement following the event. The 39-year-old Brazilian, who competed out of Kill Cliff FC with a record of 22-10, leaves the sport having averaged 3.15 significant strikes per minute and 2.12 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career.
Jack Della Maddalena also featured on the night, and the 29-year-old Australian is expected to move into the welterweight top 15 following his performance. Ranked fourth in the division and 13th pound-for-pound, Della Maddalena carries an 18-4 record and one of the more active striking outputs in the weight class at 5.57 significant strikes per minute with 51 percent accuracy. Questions remain, however, about how his game will translate against the division's elite.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's callout puts Covington directly in his crosshairs and could shape the welterweight contender picture
- Burns's retirement marks the end of a significant career at 22-10 and removes a ranked fighter from the division
- Della Maddalena's expected ranking rise adds another contender to an already crowded welterweight top five
