Arman Tsarukyan continues to rack up wins away from the UFC. The top lightweight contender laid his side-quest rivalry with Georgio Poullas to rest on Saturday night, earning an impressive victory in their much-anticipated wrestling rematch at RAF 7 inside the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida.
Tsarukyan, 29 and Poullas, 27, went viral in February for their heated match at RAF 6, which devolved into chaos after Tsarukyan nailed Poullas with illegal punches after the final bell and ignited a team-wide brawl. Tsarukyan won that first match by a 5-3 score, then bettered his own mark on Saturday night, picking up a second victory — 9-3 — after a tense and fiery back-and-forth over the three periods.
Advertisement
Tsarukyan pulled ahead early in RAF 7’s rematch, picking up one point in each of the first two periods after Poullas failed to score during multiple shot-clock sequences. The action then picked massively in the match’s wild final sprint, with Poullas clawing back into contention by scoring a takedown, only for Tsarukyan to then land a huge four-point throw in the closing seconds to seal his victory.
Saturday’s result marked the fourth time Tsarukyan has competed outside of the UFC in 2026. The well-traveled lightweight also defeated Lance Palmer in January under the Real American Freestyle banner, then bested former UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev in a grappling match earlier this month in Brazil.
“It was so important [to win this match],” a victorious Tsarukyan said after RAF 7.
Advertisement
“I’ll be RAF champion, UFC champion, and I’ll collect all the belts in the world.”
In the night’s co-main event, three-time UFC title challenger Colby Covington destroyed Bellator veteran and current Misfits MMA champion Dillon Danis to win via tech fall, 14-4.
After Danis worked his way to a surprising 4-4 tie in the opening period, Covington dialed up his aggression and rattled off a huge 10-0 run in the second stanza to ultimately advance his RAF record to 2-0.
Also on the card, RAF champions Kyle Dake, Kyle Snyder, Kennedy Blades and Wyatt Hendrickson all successfully defended their belts.
Advertisement
Check out complete RAF 7 results below, as well as Uncrowned’s round-by-round coverage of the evening’s final six matches.
Main card
Middleweight: Arman Tsarukyan def. Georgio Poullas via points (9-3)
Cruiserweight: Colby Covington def. Dillon Danis via tech fall (14-4)
Cruiserweight championship: Kyle Dake def. Parker Keckeisen via points (7-1)
Light heavyweight championship: Kyle Snyder def. Akhmed Tazhudinov via points (3-3)
Women’s middleweight championship: Kennedy Blades def. Milana Dudieva via tech fall (11-0)
Heavyweight championship: Wyatt Hendrickson def. Trent Hillger via points (6-2)
Advertisement
Featherweight: Bo Bassett def. Vladimer Khinchegashvili via tech fall (13-3)
Cruiserweight: Aeoden Sinclair def. Khidir Saipudinov via points (9-4)
Middleweight: Jason Nolf vs. David Mistulov via tech fall (10-0)
Light heavyweight: Trent Hidlay def. Pat Downey via tech fall (12-0)
Featherweight: Johnni DiJulius def. Conor Beebe via points (9-6)
-
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Georgio Poullas. (Photo via Real American Freestyle)
-
WOW! Hell of a final period there.
Arman with a push-out for another point. Insane scrambles. Two exposure points for Arman and two points for a takedown for Poullas. Then a HUGE four-point takedown for Tsarukyan at!
Arman Tsarukyan makes it 2-0 in his series against Georgio Poullas.
-
Tsarukyan gets another point off yet another failed shot-clock time by Poullas.
These two are SO evenly-matched.
Everything up for grabs as we hit the final two minutes!
-
… by getting his fingers taped between rounds.
Arman is very frustrated.
And now Poullas delays us again by going back to the corner to towel himself off.
Arman is chomping at the bit.
Scenes.
-
Arman Tsarukyan heads into the second period up 1-0 after Georgio Poullas fails to score during his shot-clock time.
-
The referee gives both of these fellas a talking-to after the opening minute. This is every ounce of a grudge match — and you can tell.
-
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Georgio Poullas 2 is underway!
-
Here we go, y’all. Tons of bad blood in this one.
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Georgio Poullas 2 is just moments away!
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Georgio Poullas 2 headlines RAF 7 on Saturday in Tampa, Florida. (Photo via Real American Freestyle)
-
TAMPA, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 14: Colby Covington prepares to face Joaquin Buckley in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Amalie Arena on December 14, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
(Chris Unger via Getty Images)
-
Remember that 4-4 tie? It was short-lived. Colby Covington just blanked him in the second period. This one is over.
-
We’re implausibly tied 4-4 after the first period. Colby Covington vs. Dillon Danis — who saw this coming??
-
Wow, I did not foresee that coming. Mea culpa
-
I’m taking bets here. Anyone willing to be brave enough to take the over?
-
Well, this should certainly be something.
Colby Covington vs. Dillon Danis kicking off shortly.
(Susan Plungis, Uncrowned)
(Susan Plungis, Uncrowned)
-
Kyle Dake is picking Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington in our final two matches.
Gotta say, I agree with him.
-
-
Heck of a match. Parker Keckeisen pushed the action as much as he possibly could but the champ was just too good.
-
Dake heads into the third round with a 2-1 lead over Parker Keckeisen.
-
It’s 1-0 Dake after the first period. Two more to go.
-
Kyle Dake is seeking his third consecutive defense of the RAF cruiserweight championship.
Parker Keckeisen is a five-time NCAA All American, five-time Big 12 champion and one-time NCAA champ.
Good one on tap here.
PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 10: Kyle Douglas Dake of United States celebrates after beating in his match against Hetik Cabolov of Serbia in the 74kg Men’s Freestyle Wrestling Final 3-5 during the Olympic Games on August 10, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Fabio Bozzani/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(Anadolu via Getty Images)
