Arman Tsarukyan is set to return to the Real American Freestyle (RAF) mat as the co-main event at RAF 08 in Philadelphia. On April 18, 2026, at the Liacouras Center, he will face MMA Hall of Famer Urijah Faber in a lightweight freestyle wrestling showcase.
Real American Freestyle officials have officially announced the Tsarukyan vs. Faber bout as the co-headliner for RAF 08. The event, which is centered around the bantamweight clash between Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo, is scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. local time and will be streamed live on FOX Nation.
The 29-year-old Tsarukyan, ranked second in the UFC lightweight division and a top-15 pound-for-pound fighter, actively uses the RAF league as an additional platform for competition. He also remains an alternate for the June UFC lightweight title fight between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje. This will mark his fourth consecutive appearance in RAF.
Urijah Faber, the 46-year-old former WEC champion and UFC Hall of Famer, enters this match after a technical-fall loss to Cejudo at RAF 6 in February, which was his league debut.
Tsarukyan began his journey in Real American Freestyle at RAF 5 in January, securing a dominant technical fall victory over former PFL champion Lance Palmer with a 10–0 score in the first period. He then outpointed Georgio Poullas 5–3 at RAF 6, and less than a month later at RAF 7, he once again faced Poullas, winning 9–3. His RAF record now stands at 3–0 heading into Philadelphia.
For Faber, RAF 08 offers a chance to rebound on a major stage against a top UFC contender who is also actively competing in another promotion.
Due to the booking of Tsarukyan vs. Faber, the event lineup has shifted. Cayden Henschel, originally slated to face Faber, will now compete against Lance Palmer in a lightweight bout. Henschel already boasts an impressive RAF résumé, including victories over veteran Clay Guida and Bo Bassett. Palmer, meanwhile, is looking to bounce back from his decisive loss to Tsarukyan.
RAF 08 Main Event and Undercard
The main event for RAF 08 features a bantamweight showdown between Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo. This will be Dvalishvili’s promotional debut after a long and successful MMA career. Cejudo is already a central figure in RAF, thanks to his win over Faber and his status as a former two-division UFC champion and Olympic gold medalist in wrestling.
RAF 08 is expected to feature a multi-fight lineup, with the Liacouras Center becoming a new major arena for the league. Real American Freestyle officials promise further matchup announcements in the lead-up to April 18.