The highly anticipated confrontation between Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington on the wrestling mat is officially set to headline RAF 11. The event is scheduled to take place on July 18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The announcement was made live immediately after Covington secured a victory in the co-main event of RAF 09, bringing an end to months of public anticipation and verbal exchanges between the two fighters.
Colby Covington to Face Arman Tsarukyan at RAF 11
This cruiserweight bout will serve as the main event for the evening. Executives from RAF confirmed the fight during the post-match ceremony, indicating that all obstacles have been cleared, especially with Covington’s retirement from UFC competition. The event will be hosted at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and will be exclusively streamed on FOX Nation.
Both Tsarukyan and Covington entered RAF 09 with winning streaks and emerged victorious. Tsarukyan defeated Mugzy via technical fall, extending his RAF record to an impressive 5–0. Covington narrowly defeated former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman in a closely contested match, improving his promotional record to 3–0. The mutual interest in facing each other became evident during their post-match interviews, where both fighters called out the other directly on the wrestling mat.
Tsarukyan was direct in his challenge, stating, “We got tonight Colby Covington. I hope he is going to win. I’m gonna whoop his [expletive]. The number-one MMA wrestler is me and I’m gonna show everybody who is the best MMA wrestler on this mat.” Covington responded by interrupting Tsarukyan’s interview, dismissing his performance as unimpressive and urging him to be prepared. Tsarukyan further added, “Please, when we’re gonna wrestle, be ready because I don’t want to have easy money. I want to be in a legit wrestling match with you.”
Following the announcement, Covington expressed his gratitude. “I’m thankful I could set up this big match with Arman. He’s been talking a lot of smack. So, now there’s no more excuses, he’s got to see me on that mat on Jul. 18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,” he told reporters. Covington highlighted his strong wrestling background, noting his status as a high-level All-American competitor at a similar weight. He explained, “He’s been going against guys that are a lot smaller than him and don’t have the wrestling credentials as me. So, I’m gonna be a real challenge.” Covington also stated his intention to hand Tsarukyan his first loss in RAF.
Tsarukyan’s schedule remains demanding. He is already slated to compete against former interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson at RAF 10 on June 13 in St. Louis. That same event will feature the main event bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Dillon Danis, marking Chimaev’s debut in the RAF promotion. Notably, 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, including appearances by other notable fighters such as Merab Dvalishvili and Frankie Edgar. Further bouts for RAF 11 are expected to be announced in the upcoming weeks.
Tsarukyan, 29, trains at American Top Team and maintains a 5–0 record within the RAF. Covington, 37, is a former UFC lightweight title challenger and holds a 3–0 record in RAF. The cruiserweight division ensures they will be competing at comparable weights, although Covington indicated he might have a slight weight advantage of five to ten pounds.
For enthusiasts of grappling and crossover MMA matchups, RAF 11 now presents a clear and compelling main event. The July 18 date provides both fighters with approximately six weeks to prepare following their performances at RAF 09. With Covington no longer bound by UFC contractual obligations and Tsarukyan able to prioritize wrestling when not actively competing in the octagon, this fight is now cleared to proceed without any restrictions.
