Arsen Harutyunyan to fight for RAF Wrestling championship belt
- Author: Vahe Hakobyan
- Sportaran
Armenian freestyle wrestler Arsen Harutyunyan has earned the opportunity to compete for the Real American Freestyle (RAF) championship belt in the bantamweight division.
On September 18 in Miami, at RAF 13, the two-time Olympian will face reigning RAF champion Austin DeSanto.
Harutyunyan made a strong start to his RAF career. The Armenian athlete has competed in two bouts and won both of them. At RAF 10, he made his debut with a dominant victory over Caleb Smith, winning 14-4 by technical superiority. Later, at RAF 11 in Milwaukee, Harutyunyan defeated Ben Davino in a close battle, winning 6-5.
Now he faces the biggest challenge of his RAF journey — a title fight.
His opponent Austin DeSanto remains undefeated in RAF competition. The American wrestler has competed in three bouts and won all of them. DeSanto captured the bantamweight title after defeating Nathan Tomasello 11-1 by technical superiority and then successfully defended his belt against Reyneri Ortega.
In 2026, DeSanto also achieved major success on the international stage. He became the Pan American champion in the 61 kg weight category and won the UWW Ranking Series event in Zagreb.
Harutyunyan enters the title bout with tremendous international experience. The Armenian wrestler is a four-time European champion, a two-time Olympian, and a three-time senior World Championship bronze medalist (2021, 2022, 2023).
Interestingly, the rivalry between Harutyunyan and DeSanto could continue on the world stage. Both wrestlers are contenders for the 2026 UWW World Championships in Astana. If Harutyunyan decides to compete at 61 kg instead of his usual 57 kg category, the two athletes could meet again at the biggest tournament of the year.
Harutyunyan’s title fight will be part of a major weekend for Armenian fighters. One day after RAF 13, UFC 331 will take place in Los Angeles, where Arman Tsarukyan will face Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main event.
RAF 13. Miami. September 18. Arsen Harutyunyan vs Austin DeSanto — RAF bantamweight championship belt.
