Арман Царукян защитит чемпионский пояс RAF в схватке с бывшим чемпионом UFC Энтони Петтисом

Armenian UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan is set to make his first defense of the Real American Freestyle (RAF) Middleweight Crossover championship against former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis.

The title bout, contested under freestyle wrestling rules, will take place on November 28, 2026, at RAF 15 at NOW Arena in Chicago, Illinois, and will headline the event.

Tsarukyan Gets a New Opponent for His First Title Defense

Anthony Pettis was originally scheduled to face fellow former UFC fighter Donald Cerrone. However, organizers changed the event's lineup, naming Pettis as the challenger for Tsarukyan's championship belt.

As a result, Arman Tsarukyan vs. Anthony Pettis has been promoted to the RAF 15 main event, while the title bout between Henry Cejudo and Song Yadong has been moved to the co-main event slot.

For the 39-year-old Pettis, the upcoming contest will mark his debut in competitive freestyle wrestling. The American is best known for his UFC career, during which he captured the lightweight championship in 2013. His most recent combat sports appearance came in 2024, when he lost a boxing match to Chris Avila.

Arman Tsarukyan Scheduled for Two Wrestling Matches in November

Tsarukyan captured the RAF Middleweight Crossover championship at RAF 14 in Las Vegas, where he dominated American fighter Dillon Danis, securing a 10–0 technical superiority victory in the opening period.

The Armenian athlete now has two wrestling matches scheduled within two weeks:

• November 14 — Arman Tsarukyan vs. Neiman Gracie. RAF event in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Non-title bout at a catchweight.

• November 28 — Arman Tsarukyan vs. Anthony Pettis. RAF 15 in Chicago, USA. First defense of the Middleweight Crossover championship.

The match against Neiman Gracie remains on the schedule and will not involve Tsarukyan's championship belt. Therefore, regardless of the outcome in Abu Dhabi, Tsarukyan is scheduled to defend his title against Pettis later in November.

For the Armenian fighter, the upcoming championship match represents another opportunity to strengthen his position in Real American Freestyle, where he has already established himself as a titleholder.