Shovkhal Varzilov issued a challenge to Arman Tsarukyan offering 500,000 rubles if Tsarukyan can score a wrestling point against him within one minute. Tsarukyan accepted the challenge. Varzilov specified the conditions would involve wrestling from a project setting until a point is scored, and mentioned he plans to face an Olympic champion soon. He even offered to give up a leg position to make the challenge more interesting. Tsarukyan responded confidently, questioning whether Varzilov believes he cannot score. The exchange was captured on video by Nika Kelekhsashvili.
Arman Tsarukyan has accepted a public wrestling challenge from Shovkhal Varzilov, with 500,000 rubles on the line if the UFC lightweight contender can score a single wrestling point within one minute.
Varzilov laid out the terms, proposing the two compete in a wrestling setting until a point is scored and even offering Tsarukyan a leg position to level the playing field. The exchange, captured on video by Nika Kelekhsashvili, drew a confident response from Tsarukyan, who pushed back at the implication he would struggle to score against his challenger. Varzilov also noted he has a bout against an Olympic champion in the works.
Tsarukyan enters the exchange as the number-one ranked lightweight in the UFC, carrying a record of 23 wins and 3 losses at 29 years old. The Russian-born fighter, who trains out of American Top Team, stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach and competes out of an orthodox stance. His MMA credentials on the mat are well established, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes and posting a striking accuracy of 50 percent alongside 3.85 significant strikes landed per minute.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the top-ranked lightweight contender, making any public challenge to his wrestling credentials a high-profile exchange
- Varzilov's mention of a coming fight against an Olympic champion raises his own profile heading into the stunt
- The bet highlights the ongoing crossover between MMA fighters and grappling-focused public challenges, a growing trend in Russian combat sports media
