Arman Tsarukyan has announced a grappling match against Urijah Faber set for October 8 under a new promotion. Tsarukyan himself broke the news of the matchup.
Arman Tsarukyan will step onto the grappling mats against Urijah Faber on October 8, the Russian lightweight contender announced himself, with the match set to take place under a new promotion.
Tsarukyan, 29, enters the match as one of the premier lightweights in MMA. Representing Russia and training out of American Top Team, he carries a 23-3-0 professional record and sits ranked second in the UFC lightweight division. At five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, he is a physically gifted grappler whose numbers back up the reputation — he averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes, and his striking output of 3.85 significant strikes landed per minute at 50 percent accuracy shows he is equally dangerous on the feet.
Faber, widely known as "The California Kid," brings a legendary combat sports resume to the contest. The 47-year-old American, who trains with Team Alpha Male, holds a 35-11-0 professional record built largely across the bantamweight and featherweight divisions. Standing five-foot-six with a 67-inch reach, Faber built his reputation on relentless pressure and submission grappling, averaging 1.54 takedowns and 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes across his career.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is a top-two lightweight contender, and a grappling showcase adds visibility heading into what figures to be a pivotal stretch of his career.
- Faber remains one of the most recognizable names in combat sports history, giving the promotion instant credibility and drawing power.
- The stylistic contrast is notable — Tsarukyan's elite takedown volume against Faber's veteran submission instincts makes for a compelling pure grappling matchup.
- The October 8 date gives fans a high-profile grappling event to follow outside the traditional MMA calendar.
