Arman Tsarukyan will compete at RAF 09 on May 31 against opponent Keelon Jimison. The fight announcement provides confirmation of Tsarukyan's next booking with the regional promotion. No additional details about the weight class, main card placement, or bout significance were included in the brief announcement. This represents Tsarukyan's continued activity outside the UFC. The event date is set for late May.
Arman Tsarukyan is set to compete outside the UFC when he takes on Keelon Jimison at RAF 09 on May 31, 2026.
Tsarukyan, 29, enters the bout as one of the most prominent lightweights in the world. The Russian fighter, who trains out of American Top Team, holds a professional record of 23-3-0 and is currently ranked first in the UFC's lightweight division. Standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, he fights out of the orthodox stance and brings a well-rounded skill set to the cage. He lands 3.85 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent accuracy rate, and his wrestling is equally dangerous at 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes. No verified data was available for Keelon Jimison in the AgentMMA database.
The announcement confirmed the matchup and the event date but offered no details on weight class, card placement, or the context of the bout within the regional promotion.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the top-ranked UFC lightweight, making any regional appearance a notable scheduling story
- No weight class was confirmed, leaving questions about whether the fight falls at lightweight or another division
- The absence of verified data on Jimison makes it difficult to assess the competitive stakes of the matchup
