Arman Tsarukyan to wrestle Tony Ferguson at RAF event on June 13

Arman Tsarukyan and Tony Ferguson are set to meet outside the cage, with the two mixed martial artists scheduled to compete against each other in a freestyle wrestling bout at a RAF wrestling league tournament on June 13.

Tsarukyan, 29, arrives as the number-one ranked lightweight contender in the UFC, carrying a professional MMA record of 23 wins and 3 losses. The Russian fighter, who trains out of American Top Team, has built a reputation as one of the more dangerous wrestlers in the lightweight division, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes inside the octagon. His striking accuracy sits at 50 percent, among the better marks in the division. The crossover to a pure wrestling format plays directly into what has long been considered his strongest athletic foundation.

Ferguson, nicknamed El Cucuy, brings a contrasting profile to the mat. The 42-year-old American holds a 26-11-0 MMA record and is known far more for his unorthodox striking, submission threat, and a 76-inch reach than for takedown-based grappling. He averages just 0.39 takedowns per 15 minutes in MMA competition, though he does generate submission attempts at a rate of 0.9 per 15 minutes, suggesting active grappling engagement when the fight hits the floor. Ferguson competes out of Knuckleheadz MMA and stands five feet eleven inches tall.

Why it matters

• Tsarukyan is the UFC's top-ranked lightweight, making any public appearance a moment of visibility for the division
• Ferguson's takedown numbers suggest Tsarukyan enters with a significant wrestling-specific advantage on paper
• The event marks a notable crossover moment, with two active MMA fighters stepping into a pure freestyle wrestling format
• At 42, Ferguson continues to compete in combat sports at an unusually high age