Colby Covington vs Arman Tsarukyan - The Ultimate Clash

Milwaukee, Wisconsin may not know quite what they’ve signed up for when two of MMA’s most infamous grappling-heavy fighters step on the RAF mat and lock horns in the RAF11 Main Event.

Two of combat sports’ most skilled lightning rods meet in a dream matchup in the RAF11 Main Event when one of the faces of RAF, Arman Tsarukyan meets one of the faces of wrestlers-turned-fighters, Colby Covington.

The two have been circling each other since Colby Covington made his RAF debut at RAF05. Following his victory over Luke Rockhold, color commentator Chael Sonnen proposed the matchup and it seemed to be on both men’s minds ever since. Every new opponent, every new victory, both men were on the sidelines sizing each other up.

In combat sports, matches that have this much lingering heat sometimes seem to just fade away leaving fans wondering “what if.” Tsarukyan vs Covington will not be one of those dream matches that slipped away.

Covington comes into the match with far more experience on the mat. The JuCo National Champion and D1 All-American reached some of the highest highs in the sport before his wrestling turned him into one of MMA’s biggest stars. It was only a matter of time before the UFC superstar would take on RAF. Even before making his debut he was already calling out names like Bo Nickal, GSP and Kamaru Usman.

Now at 3-0 in RAF, Covington looks to extinguish the most active man on-roster who is just as used to riling opponents up as he is.

One of the combat sports’ latest crop of “bad boys” features Arman Tsarukyan. Intensity matched by few, more mauling ability than almost anybody in the game and a razor-sharp tongue. He has made enemies, he has made countless fans and he has made some of the most unforgettable moments in RAF since his debut at RAF05 against Lance Palmer.

Tsarukyan and Covington debuted at the same event with Covington in the Main Event slot but since that night, Tsarukyan has wrestled every event, looking stronger every match, getting more and more buzz online and getting more and more pop every event. He has headlined a pair of cards and taken down two UFC legends, both known for their wrestling.

With a perfect 6-0 record in RAF, Tsarukyan didn’t need the JuCo National Title or the D1 All-American plaque to become arguably the face of the promotion.

Taking down the surging Tsarukyan, won’t be easy for Covington. Even with his accomplishments on the mat, “Chaos” will still have his hands full but can leave with his hand raised if he pushes the pace he’s known for, utilizes his chain wrestling and stays disciplined on defense. Tsarukyan will be coming in looking for big sequences and leaning on strength and explosivity. Covington can use that against him with patience, calculation and pace.

For Tsarukyan he can go a long way against almost anybody utilizing his tangibles. He’s one of the strongest wrestlers in the division, has match-altering aggression and is great at counter-wrestling. Covington has shown a propensity for spamming shots and looking for legs early and often. If Tsarukyan and counter that strategy, with the aforementioned abilities, Covington may have a hard time getting him off of him.

Both men have a path to victory and equal claim to being the “face” of the promotion. Two different backgrounds, two different paths to the Main Event of RAF11, which one will leave with the W?

Catch Arman Tsarukyan vs Colby Covington LIVE from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Saturday, July 18 ONLY on FOX NATION!