Arman Tsarukyan tech-falls Urijah Faber in RAF 8 main event
Arman Tsarukyan tech-falled Urijah Faber 13-1 in the third period to win the RAF 8 main event Saturday night at Temple’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia. The bout was elevated from co-main status hours before the card when Henry Cejudo pulled out of his match with Merab Dvalishvili due to injury, according to MMA Mania.
Tsarukyan, the number-two ranked UFC lightweight contender, dropped Faber to the mat within seconds of the opening period and racked up eight points before either wrestler broke a sweat. The second period saw Tsarukyan drive Faber off the stage entirely. “Tsarukyan got a leg and starts driving! Faber on one foot bouncing and Tsarukyan drives him all the way off the stage,” MMA Fighting’s Jed Meshew reported in his live blog. “They went right over the commentary booth.” The sequence gave Tsarukyan a point for the push-out while awarding Faber a point for the wild exit.
Tsarukyan calls out Colby Covington after fourth straight RAF win
The 46-year-old Faber, a former WEC champion making his second RAF appearance after losing to Cejudo via tech-fall at RAF 6, gave up significant size and strength to Tsarukyan. The Armenian-born fighter improved to 4-0 in RAF competition despite minimal wrestling background before joining the promotion. Tsarukyan toyed with Faber in the third period before securing a high-crotch and finishing with a throw.
After the match, Tsarukyan told interviewer Chael Sonnen the off-stage incident was unintentional. “RAF, next time you need two mats for me,” he said, per MMA Fighting. Tsarukyan then called out Colby Covington, who was in attendance. Covington, already booked against Chris Weidman, accepted the challenge on the spot and said he wanted Tsarukyan instead. Tsarukyan responded by saying he wanted Sonnen next after beating Covington.
Kyle Snyder retained his light heavyweight title in the co-main event, beating Rizabek Aitmukhan 12-6. RAF 9 is set for May 30 and will feature Gable Steveson alongside the previously announced Weidman-Covington bout.
Photo by Chris Kendall on Unsplash
Original reporting:
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