Colby Covington has secured the inaugural RAF crossover championship, defeating Arman Tsarukyan in a hard-fought wrestling match held in Milwaukee. The former Division 1 All-American wrestler demonstrated his skills, earning a 5-3 victory and handing Tsarukyan his first loss in the RAF promotion.
The highly anticipated main event at RAF 11 pitted Tsarukyan, who entered the match with a 7-0 record in RAF, against Covington. Tsarukyan had largely dominated his competition since joining the promotion, but Covington presented a significant challenge, being a naturally larger athlete who primarily competed at 170 pounds during his UFC career.
Match Dynamics and Key Moments
Tsarukyan engaged with the Wisconsin crowd, wearing a cheese head as he entered the arena. Despite Covington’s size advantage, Tsarukyan immediately pressed the action. Both competitors engaged in grappling early on, attempting snap downs and arm drags, though neither gained a significant advantage in these initial exchanges.
Towards the end of the first round, Tsarukyan attempted a single-leg takedown. However, Covington countered with a waist wrap, executing a takedown that gave him a 3-0 lead, which included a shot clock point from earlier in the round.
Covington’s defensive strategy proved robust. In the second round, Tsarukyan secured a cleaner single-leg takedown, lifting Covington and completing the move when Covington bailed out to avoid exposure. Following a reset, Covington initiated his own takedown attempt, but Tsarukyan managed to prevent giving up points after a scramble. Similar to the first period, Tsarukyan made a late, weak takedown attempt, which Covington capitalized on by sprawling and turning, earning two additional points.
Expert Analysis and Post-Match Remarks
Wrestler-turned-fighter Ben Askren had previously analyzed the matchup, noting the potential for either a key move or a critical mistake to decide the outcome. Askren highlighted Covington’s background as a Division I All-American, though he also pointed out that Covington’s All-American status was from 2008 or 2009, approximately 17 years prior to the match. Askren suggested that a significant deterioration of wrestling skills can occur if an athlete steps away from the sport for an extended period, differentiating it from mixed martial arts training.
Askren acknowledged Covington’s physical size advantage, noting that Covington appeared to be a bigger individual. He also observed that Covington had shown signs of fatigue in a previous match, suggesting a competitive bout. Askren identified Tsarukyan’s strength in the front headlock and chest wrap positions, believing that if Tsarukyan could secure such a position, he would have a strong chance of winning.
Conversely, Askren also considered Covington’s ability to use his size and strength to his advantage. He suggested that if Covington could effectively push, pull, and move Tsarukyan, leading to clean leg attacks, Covington would likely win. Askren leaned slightly towards Covington due to his size advantage.
Heading into the third round, Tsarukyan faced a three-point deficit, which led him to wrestle with increased urgency, pressing forward and repeatedly attacking. This aggressive approach resulted in a shot clock violation against Covington. However, Tsarukyan was unable to penetrate Covington’s defence to score further points. Despite continued efforts, Covington effectively sprawled and denied Tsarukyan any openings, ultimately securing the 5-3 win.
Following his victory, Covington praised Tsarukyan, predicting that he would soon become the UFC lightweight champion. Covington also mentioned potential future opponents for his new title, including Belal Muhammad and Khamzat Chimaev, after the match on Saturday night.
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Source: mmafighting.com
