Arman Tsarukyan Closes the Fighting Year and Opens 2026 at Major Events

Arman Tsarukyan became a key figure in both the conclusion and the start of the fighting year in Armenian sports. On December 30, the Armenian UFC fighter competed in Yerevan at the Hype Fighting event, where he faced Sharabutdin Magomedov (Shara Bullet) in a grappling match, spectacularly closing the 2025 season for Armenian sports.

Already on January 10, Tsarukyan will open 2026 by taking part in the RAF 5 tournament, which will be held in Sunrise, Florida (USA). The bouts will be conducted under freestyle wrestling rules, and the event card features a truly star-studded lineup.

Arman Tsarukyan’s opponent will be 38-year-old Lance Palmer, a former PFL champion with an impressive MMA record of 23 wins and 8 losses. For the Armenian athlete, this will be another opportunity to showcase his elite wrestling skills on the international stage.

Full RAF 5 Card (Sunrise, Florida)
Freestyle wrestling bouts:

Colby Covington — Luke Rockhold
Bo Nickal — Yoel Romero
Arman Tsarukyan — Lance Palmer
Kyle Dake — Magomedhabib Kadimagomedov
Jordan Oliver — Real Woods
Zahid Valencia — Nate Jackson
Nathan Tomasello — Austin DeSanto
Bo Bassett — Caden Henschel
Pat Downey — Stefan Buchenan
Pat Lugo — Johnny DiJulius
Mostafa Gabr Elders — Steve Mocco
Keilon Mugzi Jimison — Giorgio Pullas

It is also worth noting that Armenian fighters will continue competing in the second half of January. On January 16, Zhora Ayvazyan and Gegham Manavazyan will step into the cage at ACA 199, which will take place in Krasnodar.