Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington will face off on the wrestling mat to headline RAF 11 on July 18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The matchup was introduced stay on the mat in Dallas instantly after Covington’s co-main occasion victory at RAF 09, ending months of public back-and-forth between the 2 fighters.
Colby Covington Meets Arman Tsarukyan on the Mat at RAF 11
The bout will probably be contested at cruiserweight and function the primary occasion of the cardboard. RAF executives confirmed the struggle throughout the post-match ceremony, signaling no additional obstacles stay now that Covington has retired from UFC competitors. The occasion will happen on the UW-Milwaukee Panther Area and stream completely on FOX Nation.
Each males entered RAF 09 with momentum and left with victories. Tsarukyan defeated Mugzy by way of technical fall, bettering his RAF report to five–0. Covington edged former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman in a good match, transferring to three–0 within the promotion. Their mutual curiosity grew to become clear throughout post-match interviews, when every referred to as out the opposite contained in the wrestling circle.
Tsarukyan was direct in his problem. “We bought tonight Colby Covington. I hope he’s going to win. I’m gonna whoop his [expletive],” he mentioned. “The number-one MMA wrestler is me and I’m gonna present everyone who’s the perfect MMA wrestler on this mat”. Covington responded by interrupting Tsarukyan’s interview, calling his efficiency unimpressive and telling him to prepare. “Please, once we’re gonna wrestle, be prepared as a result of I don’t wish to have straightforward cash. I wish to be in a legit wrestling match with you,” Tsarukyan added.
Covington embraced the official announcement afterward. “I’m grateful I may arrange this massive match with Arman. He’s been speaking lots of smack. So, now there’s no extra excuses, he’s bought to see me on that mat on Jul. 18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,” he advised reporters. He emphasised his wrestling background, noting he’s a high-level All-American at the same measurement. “He’s been going in opposition to guys which can be rather a lot smaller than him and don’t have the wrestling credentials as me. So, I’m gonna be an actual problem,” Covington defined. He added that he goals at hand Tsarukyan his first loss in RAF.
Tsarukyan’s schedule stays busy. He’s already booked to wrestle former interim UFC light-weight champion Tony Ferguson at RAF 10 on June 13 in St. Louis. That occasion can even function the primary occasion between Khamzat Chimaev and Dillon Danis, marking Chimaev’s RAF debut. Covington beforehand defeated Danis at RAF 07 in March.
RAF 09 was headlined by Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, who made his promotion debut with a ten–0 technical fall over UFC and PFL veteran Alexandr Romanov. The cardboard included 11 bouts total, with extra notable names like Merab Dvalishvili and Frankie Edgar showing on the lineup. Extra matches for RAF 11 are anticipated to be introduced within the coming weeks.
Tsarukyan, 29, trains at American Top Team and holds a 5–0 report in RAF. Covington, 37, is a former UFC light-weight title challenger with a 3–0 RAF report. The cruiserweight setting places them at comparable measurement, although Covington prompt he might carry 5 to 10 kilos of benefit.
For followers of grappling and MMA crossover, RAF 11 now delivers a transparent most important occasion draw. The July 18 date offers each fighters roughly six weeks to organize after their RAF 09 performances. With Covington not sure by UFC obligations and Tsarukyan free to prioritize wrestling when not competing within the octagon, the struggle lastly has the inexperienced gentle to occur with out restrictions.
