Tsarukyan dominates Faber, Snyder beats Aitmukhan at RAF 8

Arman Tsarukyan added another dominant performance to his resume at RAF 8 on April 19, 2026, stopping Urijah Faber by technical superiority in the third round by a score of 13-1.

Tsarukyan, 29, enters this contest as one of the sharpest competitors at lightweight, holding a 23-3 record and ranked first in his division. The Russian fighter based out of American Top Team brings exceptional offensive output, landing 3.85 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent accuracy rate, while also threatening on the mat with 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes. His one-sided margin of victory against Faber was a clear reflection of that well-rounded pressure game.

Faber, now 47 years old, is a decorated veteran carrying a 35-11 career record under the banner of Team Alpha Male. The California Kid stands five-foot-six with a 67-inch reach and has long relied on wrestling and submission threats — averaging 1.54 takedowns and 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes — but those tools were not enough to neutralize Tsarukyan on this occasion.

Elsewhere on the RAF 8 card, Kyle Snyder defeated Rizabek Aitmukhan by decision with a 12-6 score, while Zachid Valencia edged Aidan Sinclair by decision at 8-2. Shamil Sharipov earned a first-round pinfall win over Anthony Cassiopi, and Helen Maroulis stopped Alexis Yaniak by technical superiority with a 10-0 count in round two. Real Woods, Jason Nolf, Vladimer Khinchegashvili, Lance Palmer, Jordan Oliver, and Lucas Byrd all picked up victories in their respective bouts as well.

Why it matters

• Tsarukyan's dominant 13-1 technical superiority victory reinforces his standing as the top-ranked lightweight contender
• Faber's performance at 47 against a ranked fighter of this caliber underscores the gulf between generations
• A deep RAF 8 card featured multiple high-profile finishes and decision wins across several weight classes