Arman Tsarukyan will compete against Tony Ferguson at the RAF wrestling league tournament on June 13. This matchup will take place under professional freestyle wrestling rules rather than MMA. The announcement was made through official RAF channels. Details about the specific event name or location were not provided in this report, though it appears to be part of the RAF promotion's ongoing series.
Arman Tsarukyan and Tony Ferguson are set to meet on June 13 in a professional freestyle wrestling contest organized by the RAF wrestling league, marking an unusual crossover event for both MMA fighters.
Tsarukyan, 29, enters the bout as the top-ranked lightweight contender in the UFC at 23-3-0, representing Russia out of American Top Team. The five-foot-seven southpaw carries a 72-inch reach and has built a reputation as one of the division's most active grapplers, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes in MMA competition alongside a 50 percent striking accuracy rate.
Ferguson, nicknamed El Cucuy, is a 42-year-old American veteran with a professional MMA record of 26-11-0. The orthodox fighter stands five-foot-eleven with a 76-inch reach and trains out of Knuckleheadz MMA. Known for his relentless output, Ferguson averages 4.91 significant strikes per minute in MMA, along with 0.9 submission attempts per 15 minutes, reflecting an aggressive and unconventional approach to combat.
Why it matters
- The bout takes place under professional freestyle wrestling rules, not MMA, making this a distinct athletic competition outside either fighter's primary career context.
- Tsarukyan is the UFC's number-one ranked lightweight, so his participation in an outside wrestling event draws immediate attention from MMA fans tracking his trajectory toward a title shot.
- The style contrast is notable: Tsarukyan's MMA wrestling volume dwarfs Ferguson's, but freestyle wrestling rules create a separate and neutral competitive framework for both men.
- The RAF promotion announced the event through official channels, though specific venue and event name details have not yet been disclosed.
