Arman Tsarukyan has been flawless since stepping into RAF, winning all seven of his appearances. Now, the 29-year-old Armenian standout and No. 2-ranked UFC lightweight contender has his sights set on a stage far grander than any octagon or wrestling arena he has visited so far: the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Tsarukyan has not kept his ambitions quiet. In a recent statement, he laid out a roadmap that would see him transition from the highest levels of mixed martial arts into pure freestyle wrestling on the world’s biggest athletic platform.
“I’m gradually becoming a wrestler. In a year, I’ll start competing against real wrestlers. It’s possible that I’ll compete at the next Olympic Games. Before that, I need to settle everything in the UFC. Then, if I can win the Armenian or Russian championship, I’ll decide which country to represent,” Tsarukyan said.
The declaration carries significant weight from a man whose professional record stands at 23 wins and 3 losses across 26 bouts since making his UFC debut in 2019. His most recent outing on November 22, 2025, ended with a submission victory over Dan Hooker, a performance that further cemented his standing among the elite of the lightweight division.
Yet for all his success in MMA, Tsarukyan appears increasingly drawn to the purity of wrestling competition. His decision to enter the RAF league in 2026 opened a new chapter, one where the former grappler could showcase his skills without the multidimensional complexity of mixed martial arts.
Undefeated across all seven RAF contests, he has demonstrated that his wrestling credentials extend well beyond the ground game that has made him such a formidable threat at 155 lbs (70.3 kg).
The road to the Olympics, however, is not a simple one. Tsarukyan has acknowledged that his Olympic pursuit hinges on first tying up loose ends within his UFC career. With a title chance widely considered inevitable for the division’s second-ranked contender, walking away from a potential championship opportunity is not a decision he plans to rush.
Should he clear those professional hurdles, the next test would be domestic. Winning either the Armenian or Russian national championship would serve as proof of concept, validating his belief that he can compete with dedicated freestyle wrestlers who have spent their entire careers on the mat.
There is also the question of national allegiance. Born in Russia but proudly representing Armenia throughout his MMA career, Tsarukyan has left the door open on both possibilities. The decision could come down to where he sees the best chance of qualifying and ultimately reaching the podium in Los Angeles.
Wrestling has long been a discipline where crossover athletes have made their mark, but few have attempted the leap from a top-ranked position in professional MMA to Olympic competition. The physical demands alone, competing in a weight class that requires sustained intensity across multiple matches in a single tournament, represent a unique challenge.
For Tsarukyan, the timeline is becoming clearer. Within the next year, he intends to test himself against high-caliber freestyle wrestlers, stepping away from the familiarity of mixed competition and into a world where his wrestling will need to stand entirely on its own merits.
