Colby Covington defeated Chris Weidman 5-4 at RAF 09. Covington and Arman Tsarukyan have agreed to fight on July 18 in Milwaukee at RAF 11.
Colby Covington closed out RAF 09 with a hard-fought victory over Chris Weidman, winning by a 5-4 decision, and wasted little time securing his next assignment. Covington and lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan have agreed to meet on July 18 in Milwaukee at RAF 11.
Covington, known as "Chaos," carries a 17-5-0 record and competes out of MMA Masters. The 38-year-old American is a relentless pressure fighter who lands 3.81 significant strikes per minute and averages 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him one of the more complete grinders in the sport. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach, he grinds opponents across every phase of a fight.
Weidman, the 42-year-old "All-American" from the Serra-Longo Fight Team, falls to 16-8-0 with the loss. The six-foot-two veteran carries a 78-inch reach and brings a well-rounded game, averaging 3.27 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 3.11 significant strikes per minute at 45 percent accuracy.
Tsarukyan enters the bout as the No. 1-ranked lightweight in the world, holding an impressive 23-3-0 record. The 29-year-old Russian, training out of American Top Team, is one of the division's most dangerous all-around threats. He lands 3.85 significant strikes per minute at a sharp 50 percent accuracy, and adds 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes to his arsenal. Standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, "Ahalkalakets" brings elite-level output in every department.
Why it matters
- Covington steps up from a welterweight contest directly into a matchup with the top-ranked lightweight, raising immediate questions about the division's pecking order.
- Tsarukyan's No. 1 ranking means a win for either man would carry significant title implications at lightweight.
- Both fighters share nearly identical reaches at 72 inches and comparable output rates, setting up a closely matched volume striking and wrestling battle.
- Milwaukee's RAF 11 card on July 18 now has a marquee attraction with genuine divisional stakes.
