A grappling challenge has been proposed between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Arman Tsarukyan during a conversation. Shavkat offered Tsarukyan 500,000 rubles if he can score a point within one minute of grappling. Tsarukyan accepted the challenge, and Shavkat even offered to give up a leg. The exchange was documented by Nika Kelekhsashvili. Shavkat mentioned he is planning to wrestle with an Olympic champion soon. The playful but serious challenge highlights the competitive nature between the two fighters.
Shavkat Rakhmonov and Arman Tsarukyan turned a casual conversation into a competitive grappling proposition, with the welterweight contender offering Tsarukyan 500,000 rubles if the lightweight can score a single point against him within one minute. Rakhmonov even sweetened the offer by volunteering to give up a leg. Tsarukyan accepted. The exchange was documented by Nika Kelekhsashvili.
Rakhmonov, known as "Nomad," enters the conversation as one of the most complete grapplers in the UFC's welterweight division. The 31-year-old Kazakhstani carries a perfect 19-0-0 professional record and sits third in the welterweight rankings. Standing six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, he lands significant strikes at a 60 percent accuracy rate and averages 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes, underscoring a well-rounded ground game. He also mentioned he is planning a grappling session with an Olympic champion in the near future.
Tsarukyan, nicknamed "Ahalkalakets," is no stranger to the mat himself. The 29-year-old Russian trains out of American Top Team and holds a 23-3-0 record, currently ranked first in the lightweight division. At five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, he is one of the more active takedown artists in the UFC, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes. Accepting the challenge suggests confidence in those wrestling credentials, even against a larger opponent willing to offer a positional handicap.
Why it matters
- Rakhmonov's willingness to spot a leg highlights his confidence in his grappling, reinforcing his reputation as a submission threat at welterweight
- Tsarukyan's acceptance puts his elite takedown rate against one of the division's most dangerous submission artists
- The inter-divisional nature of the challenge draws attention to both fighters ahead of their respective divisional pursuits, with Tsarukyan sitting one step from a lightweight title shot
