RAF 08
| RAF 08: Tsarukyan vs. Faber | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The poster for RAF 08: Tsarukyan vs. Faber | ||||
| Promotion | Real American Freestyle | |||
| Date | April 18, 2026 | |||
| Venue | Liacouras Center | |||
| City | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |||
| Attendance | 4,250[1] | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
RAF 08: Tsarukyan vs. Faber was a freestyle wrestling event produced by the Real American Freestyle (RAF) promotion that took place on April 18, 2026 at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[2][3]
Background
[edit]A middleweight bout between Arman Tsarukyan and former WEC Featherweight Champion (also former UFC Bantamweight Championship challenger) Urijah Faber headlined the event.[4] Former UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili was originally scheduled to face former UFC Flyweight and Bantamweight Champion (also 2008 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling) Henry Cejudo in the main event, but Cejudo had to withdraw hours prior to the event.[5]
A RAF Light Heavyweight Championship bout between reigning champion Kyle Snyder and Rizabek Aitmukhan served as the co-main event.[2] They competed in February 2025 with Snyder winning by decision.
A RAF Women's Bantamweight Championship between champion Helen Maroulis and Alexis Janiak also took place at the event.[2]
It was announced on the broadcast that then UFC Middleweight Champion Khamzat Chimaev had signed with the promotion and would debut at RAF 10 in June.[6]
Results
[edit]| Main card (Fox Nation) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Middleweight |  Arman Tsarukyan |
def. |  Urijah Faber |
Technical fall (13–1) | 3 | 0:35 | |
| Light Heavyweight | Kyle Snyder (c) |
def. |  Rizabek Aitmukhan |
Decision (12–6) | 3 | 2:00 | [a] |
| Cruiserweight | Zahid Valencia |
def. | Aeoden Sinclair |
Decision (8–2) | 3 | 2:00 | |
| Heavyweight |  Shamil Sharipov |
def. | Anthony Cassioppi |
Fall | 1 | 1:45 | |
| Women's Bantamweight | Helen Maroulis (c) |
def. | Alexis Janiak |
Technical fall (10–0) | 1 | 1:13 | [b] |
| Featherweight | Real Woods |
def. | Anthony Ashnault |
Decision (7–2) | 3 | 2:00 | |
| Middleweight | Jason Nolf |
def. | Joey Blaze |
Decision (11–2) | 3 | 2:00 | |
| Featherweight |  Vladimer Khinchegashvili |
def. | Johnni DiJulius |
Decision (8–5) | 3 | 2:00 | |
| Lightweight | Lance Palmer |
def. | Cayden Henschel |
Decision (3–2) | 3 | 2:00 | |
| Featherweight | Jordan Oliver |
def. | Michael Vanschenkbrill |
Decision (5–0) | 3 | 2:00 | |
| Bantamweight | Lucas Byrd |
def. | Darian Cruz |
Decision (criteria) (2–2) | 3 | 2:00 | |
- ↑ For the RAF Light Heavyweight Championship.
- ↑ For the RAF Women's Bantamweight Championship.
Bonus awards
[edit]The following athletes received bonuses.[9][10]
- Match of the Night: Kyle Snyder vs. Rizabek Aitmukhan
- Performance of the Night: Jason Nolf
See also
[edit]External links
[edit]
- "RAF 08" at Fox Nation
- "RAF 08" on YouTube
References
[edit]- ↑ WrestleTix (2026-04-19). "WrestleTix: RAF Real American Freestyle – Sat • Apr 18 – The Liacouras Center at Philadelphia, PA". wrestlenomics.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- 1 2 3 Ben Fowlkes (2026-04-19). "RAF 8 results: Arman Tsarukyan runs Urijah Faber off the mat in lopsided victory, calls out Colby Covington". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- ↑ Bryan Tucker (2026-04-19). "RAF 8 results: Tsarukyan vs. Faber". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- ↑ Craig Pekios (2026-04-18). "RAF 8: Arman Tsarukyan vs. Urijah Faber – full results and highlights". lowkickmma.com. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- ↑ Harvey Leonard (2026-04-30). "RAF 08 shakeup: Merab Dvalishvili rejects offer as Arman Tsarukyan volunteers two bouts". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- ↑ Damon Martin (2026-04-19). "UFC champ Khamzat Chimaev signs with RAF". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- ↑ Real American Freestyle (2026-04-18). "RAF 8: Tsarukyan vs. Faber". realamericanfreestyle.com. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ Alexander Behunin (2026-04-19). "RAF 08 live stream results, discussion and video highlights – Tsarukyan vs. Faber". mmamania.com. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- ↑ Real American Freestyle (2026-04-19). "The whole building was on its feet for this one". instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- ↑ Real American Freestyle (2026-04-19). "ALL GAS FROM NOLF". instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.