Arman Tsarukyan will compete in grappling once more, this time facing Kuat Khamitov at RAF GEO Georgia in Tbilisi on July 11. The event also features a bout with Tony Ferguson on June 13 and a match involving Colby Covington on July 18.
Arman Tsarukyan is set to step onto the grappling mats once again, this time facing Kuat Khamitov at RAF GEO Georgia in Tbilisi on July 11. The event is part of a busy stretch for the promotion, which also features separate bouts involving Tony Ferguson and Colby Covington.
Tsarukyan, 29, enters the grappling contest on the back of a distinguished MMA career. The Russian southpaw — who fights out of American Top Team — holds a 23-3-0 professional record and currently sits as the number-one ranked lightweight contender in the UFC. Standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, he is a well-rounded threat who lands 3.85 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy and averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes inside the cage.
The event card also includes Tony Ferguson, the 42-year-old American veteran fighting out of Knuckleheadz MMA. Ferguson carries a 26-11-0 record and brings one of the more unique offensive profiles in the sport, landing 4.91 significant strikes per minute while averaging 0.9 submission attempts per 15 minutes. He stands five-foot-eleven with a 76-inch reach.
Colby Covington, scheduled for July 18 on the same promotion, is another recognizable name on the bill. The 38-year-old American from MMA Masters holds a 17-5-0 record and is one of the more relentless wrestling-based competitors in the sport, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes. He also stands five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the UFC's top-ranked lightweight, making any public competition — even grappling — a noteworthy appearance
- The RAF GEO Georgia events spread across June and July signal a strong international card for the promotion
- Ferguson and Covington's inclusion adds further marquee value to the overall event series
