Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan will compete at RAF 09 on May 31, facing opponent Kelon Jimison. The announcement confirms Tsarukyan's next booking outside the UFC. No additional details about the matchup or location were provided in the brief post. This represents a scheduled appearance for Tsarukyan in a non-UFC promotion.
Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan is set to step outside the UFC and compete at RAF 09 on May 31, where he will take on Kelon Jimison in a confirmed booking.
Tsarukyan, 29, enters the fight as the number-one ranked lightweight contender in the UFC, carrying a professional record of 23-3-0. The Russian fighter, who trains out of American Top Team, stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach and competes out of an orthodox stance. He lands 3.85 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent accuracy rate, and his wrestling is a consistent threat, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes. No verified data for Kelon Jimison was available in the AgentMMA database.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the UFC's top-ranked lightweight, making any appearance outside the promotion noteworthy for the division
- The fight takes place at RAF 09, a non-UFC event, raising questions about the timing relative to his standing as a title contender
- No location or additional matchup details have been confirmed beyond the May 31 date and opponent announcement
