TLDR
- Arman Tsarukyan won his freestyle wrestling debut at RAF 5 with a 10-0 technical fall over Lance Palmer in under two minutes
- Tsarukyan scored immediately with a front headlock and never let Palmer recover, using pushouts and takedowns
- Palmer is a four-time NCAA All-American from Ohio State but has struggled recently, falling to 0-2 in RAF
- Tsarukyan is the No. 1 UFC lightweight contender but was not chosen for the interim title fight at UFC 324
- The victory came while Tsarukyan stays active in grappling competitions waiting for his next UFC fight
Sources: MMA Fighting | MMA Fighting | MMA Mania
UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan dominated four-time NCAA All-American Lance Palmer at RAF 5 on Saturday night, winning by technical fall in under two minutes. The match took place at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.
Tsarukyan scored a perfect 10-0 technical fall in the first period of the freestyle wrestling bout. This marked his first appearance at an official freestyle wrestling tournament.
The Armenian fighter took control immediately after the opening whistle. Tsarukyan grabbed a front headlock and used a snapdown to drive Palmer down, scoring four points right away.
Palmer attempted to defend but could not stop Tsarukyan’s relentless pressure. Tsarukyan pushed Palmer out of bounds twice in quick succession to add two more points to his lead.
🚨 ARMAN TSARUKYAN A ÉCRASÉ LANCE PALMER AU ROUND 1 POUR SES DÉBUTS RAF …
Pour rappel, Lance Palmer est 4X All American en lutte et finaliste NCAA .. c’est grave.
🧷 [ MMAFighting ]
— ARENA (@MMArena_) January 11, 2026
Rapid Scoring Ends Match Early
Tsarukyan continued his offensive assault with another snapdown to a front headlock. He put Palmer down and spun to the back for another takedown.
The finishing sequence came when Tsarukyan executed a gut wrench turn. The move gave him the back exposure points needed to reach 10-0 and trigger the technical fall.
Tsarukyan added one more back exposure for emphasis after the match had already ended. He then celebrated his wrestling debut victory on the mats.
Palmer is a former Ohio State wrestler who earned All-American honors four times during his college career. He transitioned to MMA after college and became a two-time WSOF featherweight champion and two-time PFL tournament winner.
However, Palmer has struggled recently, going 1-5 in his last six MMA fights. He also lost his RAF debut at RAF 1 to Austin Gomez, making him 0-2 in the wrestling promotion.
Tsarukyan Stays Active Outside UFC
Tsarukyan is viewed by many as the top lightweight fighter in MMA right now. He currently holds the No. 1 contender spot in the UFC’s lightweight division.
Despite his ranking, Tsarukyan was not selected for the interim lightweight title fight at UFC 324 this month. UFC champion Ilia Topuria has not yet faced Tsarukyan despite his contender status.
While waiting for his next UFC bout, Tsarukyan has kept busy with grappling competitions. He competed in a modified rules bout against Shara Bullet a few weeks before RAF 5.
Tsarukyan never competed in wrestling at the international level during his youth. However, his performance against Palmer showed a high level of wrestling preparation and skill.
The victory demonstrated Tsarukyan’s superior size and strength as he muscled Palmer around the mats. Tsarukyan showed no desire to let the match reach a second period, finishing decisively in the first.
There is no announcement yet on when Tsarukyan will receive his UFC title shot. His success at RAF 5 could lead to more wrestling matches while he waits for his octagon return.
