Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington are set to compete in the main event of RAF 11, scheduled for July 18th in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The highly anticipated wrestling bout was confirmed live immediately after Covington’s victory at RAF 09, following months of public exchanges between the two fighters.
The contest will be held in the cruiserweight division and will headline the event. RAF officials confirmed the fight during the post-match ceremony, indicating that with Covington’s retirement from UFC competition, there are no further impediments. The event is slated to take place at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and will be exclusively streamed on FOX Nation.
Both fighters entered RAF 09 on a winning streak and left with victories. Tsarukyan secured a technical fall win against Mugzy, extending his RAF record to an undefeated 5-0. Covington narrowly defeated former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, improving his promotion record to 3-0. Their mutual interest in facing each other was evident during post-match interviews, where both fighters called each other out in the wrestling ring.
Tsarukyan directly issued his challenge, stating his intention to defeat Covington and prove he is the superior MMA wrestler. Covington responded by interrupting Tsarukyan’s interview, dismissing his performance and urging him to prepare for their match. Covington expressed his desire for a genuine wrestling challenge, not an easy victory.
Following the official announcement, Covington acknowledged the setup for the significant match with Arman. He highlighted Tsarukyan’s trash talk and emphasized that there will be no more excuses, as they will face off on the mat on July 18th in Milwaukee. Covington underscored his strong wrestling background, noting his achievements as an All-American at a comparable weight. He anticipates Tsarukyan facing a formidable opponent unlike those he has previously competed against in the promotion.
Tsarukyan’s schedule remains demanding. He is also scheduled to wrestle Tony Ferguson, the former interim UFC lightweight champion, at RAF 10 on June 13th in St. Louis. This event will also feature Khamzat Chimaev’s RAF debut in the main event against Dillon Danis. It is worth noting that Covington previously defeated Danis at RAF 07 in March.
RAF 09 was headlined by Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, who made his promotional debut with a dominant 10-0 technical fall victory over UFC and PFL veteran Alexandr Romanov. The card featured a total of 11 bouts, with other notable participants including Merab Dvalishvili and Frankie Edgar. Additional bouts for RAF 11 are anticipated to be announced in the coming weeks.
Tsarukyan, aged 29, trains at American Top Team and maintains a 5-0 record in RAF. Covington, 37, is a former UFC lightweight title challenger with a 3-0 record in RAF. The cruiserweight division places them at a similar size, although Covington suggested he might have a weight advantage of five to ten pounds.
For enthusiasts of grappling and crossover MMA matchups, RAF 11 now presents a compelling main event. The July 18th date provides both fighters with approximately six weeks to prepare following their RAF 09 performances. With Covington no longer bound by UFC commitments and Tsarukyan able to prioritize wrestling outside of his octagon appearances, the highly anticipated fight is finally cleared to proceed without restrictions.
