Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington are scheduled to fight on July 18 at a RAF event.
Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington have been booked to face each other on July 18 at a UFC RAF event, the promotion announced.
Tsarukyan enters the fight as the number-one ranked lightweight in the world, carrying a record of 23-3-0. The 29-year-old Russian, who trains out of American Top Team, has built a reputation as one of the most well-rounded fighters in the division. Standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, he lands 3.85 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 50 percent, while also threatening consistently on the ground with 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Covington, nicknamed "Chaos," brings a record of 17-5-0 into the contest. The 38-year-old American, who trains at MMA Masters, has long been one of the most dangerous wrestlers in the welterweight division. He stands five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach, landing 3.81 significant strikes per minute and averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes. The fight will mark a notable step up in competition at a new weight class for at least one of the two men, given Tsarukyan competes at lightweight and Covington has built his career at welterweight.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the top-ranked lightweight contender and a win here would strengthen his case for a title shot
- Covington, a former interim welterweight champion, moves into unfamiliar territory facing a ranked lightweight
- Both fighters share an identical 72-inch reach and similar output rates, setting up a potential war of attrition
- The bout has significant divisional implications depending on what weight class the fight is contested at
