Arman Tsarukyan’s habit of staying active outside the UFC while awaiting the lightweight title unification between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje produced yet another headline moment, though this one came with a scare. Competing at RAF 08 in Philadelphia, Tsarukyan faced Urijah Faber in a bout that briefly turned chaotic.
In the midst of an aggressive exchange, the Armenian drove into Faber with a spear, sending both men crashing off the stage and into the crowd. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the incident cast an uneasy spotlight on a promotion working to build credibility and attract top collegiate wrestling talent. Beyond the viral moment, Tsarukyan was dominant throughout.
He surged to an early 8-0 lead with relentless pressure and repeated takedowns, making it clear he was operating at a different level. Faber showed resilience to avoid a shutout, but the action escalated again when both fighters tumbled over the commentary desk, nearly taking out Chael Sonnen and Kurt Angle in the process. Tsarukyan ultimately sealed a technical fall victory, capping off a chaotic yet commanding performance.
Despite the win, Tsarukyan didn’t escape some post-match ribbing. His close friend and training partner, Khamzat Chimaev, was quick to take playful shots after the two recently trained together, adding another layer of intrigue to an already eventful outing. Chimaev poked fun at Tsarukyan’s recent level of competition, mocking him for taking on small guys and influencers.
The jab referenced Tsarukyan’s submission win over Muhammad Mokaev in Hype FC and his pair of victories against Georgio Poullas in RAF. Chimaev continued the playful trolling during a recent training session under fitness coach Sam Calavitta, taking aim at Tsarukyan’s latest outing. He said, “This guy (went) and wrestled a 75-year-old man, came back, and he thinks he’s the champ.”
The remark was aimed at Tsarukyan’s RAF 08 clash with Faber, the 46-year-old veteran he defeated via technical fall in Philadelphia. “A win is a win, right? Who cares?” Tsarukyan replied.
Khamzat Chimaev trolls Arman for wrestling old Urijah Faber:
“This guy go and wrestled a 75 year old man, came back and thinks he’s a champ.’” 😭
(Via @ArmanUfc ) pic.twitter.com/8ICg27KJvG
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) April 24, 2026
While Tsarukyan still doesn’t have his next UFC fight booked, the lightweight contender remains active and in form. He hasn’t competed inside the Octagon since submitting Dan Hooker in Qatar last November, and was notably overlooked for an interim title opportunity in favor of Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje. Meanwhile, Chimaev is set to make his first middleweight title defense against Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9th.
With the division moving forward without him, attention now turns to whether Dana White will reward Tsarukyan’s persistence with a long-awaited shot at gold, or if his activity outside the promotion, along with his polarizing approach, continues to complicate his path to a title opportunity.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.