Arman Tsarukyan is scheduled to compete against Tony Ferguson at the wrestling league RAF event on June 13. The announcement appears to involve a grappling or wrestling match rather than a standard MMA bout, based on the context mentioning a "wrestling league." No additional details about the event location or bout format are provided in the post. The matchup pairs the rising lightweight contender Tsarukyan against veteran fighter Ferguson in what appears to be a cross-promotional appearance.
Arman Tsarukyan and Tony Ferguson are set to meet at a Russian Athletic Federation wrestling league event on June 13, stepping outside the cage for what appears to be a grappling or wrestling competition rather than a standard MMA bout.
Tsarukyan, 29, enters the matchup as the number-one ranked lightweight contender with a record of 23-3-0. The Russia-born American Top Team product stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach and has built his reputation in part on a relentless grappling-based attack, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes inside the UFC octagon. He also posts a striking accuracy of 50 percent, landing 3.85 significant strikes per minute, making him a complete threat on the feet as well.
Ferguson, known as El Cucuy, is the 42-year-old American veteran who carries a 26-11-0 professional MMA record and brings nearly a lifetime of combat sports experience into the matchup. Fighting out of Knuckleheadz MMA, the six-foot-one orthodox striker owns a 76-inch reach and has historically been one of the more active submission hunters in the lightweight division, averaging 0.9 submission attempts per 15 minutes across his career. He lands close to five significant strikes per minute, a volume that speaks to his aggressive style even in the later stages of his career.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the UFC's top-ranked lightweight, so any high-profile appearance — even outside MMA — draws attention to his divisional trajectory.
- Ferguson's participation signals continued cross-promotional activity as the veteran looks to remain active across combat sports formats.
- The grappling context puts Tsarukyan's elite wrestling credentials front and center against a submission-savvy opponent in Ferguson.
- No location or precise bout format details have been confirmed beyond the June 13 date and RAF affiliation.
