Arman Tsarukyan will compete against Tony Ferguson in a grappling match at RAF (Russian Fighting Championship) on June 13. This represents a wrestling/submission grappling bout rather than an MMA fight. The announcement was duplicated across multiple platforms for those experiencing loading issues. This is a notable crossover event featuring the UFC lightweight contender Tsarukyan and former interim champion Ferguson competing in a pure grappling format. The matchup brings together two high-level fighters in a different competitive setting.
Arman Tsarukyan and Tony Ferguson are set to meet in a pure grappling contest at the Russian Fighting Championship on June 13, stepping outside the MMA cage for a wrestling and submission grappling format.
Tsarukyan enters the matchup as one of the most dangerous grapplers in the UFC lightweight division. Ranked number one at 155 pounds, the 29-year-old Russian carries a 23-3 record and trains out of American Top Team. His grappling credentials inside the Octagon are well established — he averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes, among the highest rates in the division. Standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, he is a compact, relentless competitor who consistently closes distance and controls opponents on the mat.
Ferguson brings a different kind of grappling pedigree to the bout. The 42-year-old American, nicknamed El Cucuy, is a former interim UFC lightweight champion who holds a 26-11 record and trains with Knuckleheadz MMA. At five-foot-eleven with a 76-inch reach, he carries a natural frame advantage over Tsarukyan. Ferguson has long been known for his unorthodox submission hunting, averaging 0.9 submission attempts per 15 minutes in MMA competition, though his UFC career has cooled in recent years.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan tests his elite takedown-heavy game in a pure grappling environment, outside the UFC spotlight
- Ferguson, a decorated submission threat at his peak, gets a high-profile stage to re-establish himself in a non-MMA setting
- The crossover format removes striking entirely, shifting the contest to the ground skills both men have built their reputations on
- The event provides a rare look at how a top-ranked UFC lightweight contender performs against a veteran submission specialist in a dedicated grappling ruleset
