Arman Tsarukyan dominated Urijah Faber 13-1 in a wrestling match at a recent RAF event. After the bout, Tsarukyan called out Colby Covington, promising to aim for a 10-0 shutout and stating he would not give Covington a single point. Tsarukyan said he gave Faber one point out of respect for his age, but against Covington he would fight with everything he has. He vowed to make people forget about Covington not only as a fighter but also as a wrestler. In other news from the event, Gilbert Burns retired from MMA, Sean Malott will enter the top 15 but the author questions his potential against elite competition, Khamzat Chimaev signed with RAF, and Bo Nickal immediately challenged Chimaev. The post also recommended several exciting fights from a UFC event.
Arman Tsarukyan headlined a recent RAF event with a commanding 13-1 victory over wrestling legend Urijah Faber, and wasted no time issuing a pointed challenge to Colby Covington when the match concluded.
Tsarukyan, speaking after the bout, said he deliberately allowed Faber one point as a gesture of respect for his age. He made clear that Covington would receive no such courtesy, vowing to shut him out 10-0 and promising to erase Covington's reputation not only as a fighter but as a wrestler.
The RAF event carried several other notable storylines. Khamzat Chimaev, currently ranked first in the middleweight division at 15-1-0 and sitting tenth on the pound-for-pound list, signed with RAF — a significant addition given that the 32-year-old from the UAE averages an exceptional 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands significant strikes at a 60 percent accuracy rate. Bo Nickal, 30, responded to the signing by immediately calling Chimaev out. Nickal carries a 9-1-0 record and has quietly built one of the more well-rounded profiles in MMA, averaging 3.1 takedowns and 2.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside a striking accuracy figure of 61 percent.
Gilbert Burns, 39, announced his retirement from mixed martial arts at the event. The Brazilian welterweight, ranked 13th at 22-10-0, spent years as one of the division's most dangerous competitors, combining a takedown rate of 2.12 per 15 minutes with a relentless submission game.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's public callout of Covington sets up a potential high-profile wrestling-focused matchup with clear divisional implications
- Chimaev's move to RAF reshuffles the middleweight landscape and immediately draws attention from Bo Nickal, a rising contender
- Burns's retirement closes the chapter on a decorated welterweight career and opens a spot in the divisional rankings
