Arman Tsarukyan established one of RAF's most dominant runs through seven successful appearances, consistently winning in the past year.
However, that remarkable streak ended at RAF 11 after former UFC interim welterweight champion Colby Covington secured a points victory. The result handed the Armenian standout his first defeat after seven successful RAF appearances.
The inaugural RAF Crossover Championship headlined RAF 11, with Tsarukyan and Covington entering the contest undefeated in the promotion. Covington opened the scoring after Tsarukyan received a passivity penalty during the opening stages of the match. The UFC lightweight contender answered with a takedown in the second period, but Covington quickly recovered and kept the contest closely contested throughout.
Covington gained momentum during the closing stages by producing timely reversals and limiting Tsarukyan's offensive opportunities. Tsarukyan continued pressing for another decisive score, but could not erase the deficit before the final whistle. Covington secured a 5-3 points victory, capturing the inaugural RAF Crossover Championship and handing Tsarukyan his first defeat after seven dominant RAF appearances.
The victory marked Covington's fourth RAF appearance after previous wins over Luke Rockhold at RAF 05 and Dillon Danis at RAF 07. 'Chaos' followed those performances by defeating UFC legend Chris Weidman at RAF 09, after which he then called out Tsarukyan, leading to their RAF 11 championship showdown.
Tsarukyan entered RAF 11 after defeating Kuat Khamitov at the recent RAF Georgia event. Before that, he secured another notable victory over UFC veteran Tony Ferguson at RAF 10. The Armenian superstar has competed every month of 2026 since January, highlighting his remarkable activity level.
Despite the defeat, Tsarukyan's seven-fight RAF winning streak featured several memorable moments. At RAF 08, he drove UFC legend Urijah Faber off the mat and into the commentary team. His RAF 06 brawl against Georgio Poullas also significantly boosted the promotion's marketability.
On the other hand, Covington has already hinted that retirement is approaching. He recently revealed plans to pursue superfights while remaining involved with the RAF as both a competitor and investor. The RAF 11 victory further strengthened his position before that eventual transition.
Arman Tsarukyan entered RAF 11 as a heavy -800 betting favorite following his dominant run throughout 2026. However, Colby Covington stunned the odds as a +550 underdog, earning a 5-3 points victory. The result at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena undoubtedly delivered one of the biggest upsets in RAF history.
Colby Covington's UFC run recently ended after the former interim welterweight champion departed from the promotion. His exit followed public disputes with UFC executives, including CBO Hunter Campbell. Covington was also widely known for his outspoken personality, trash talk, and strong mic skills.
One fighter who became a major target of Covington's trash talk was former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. The two repeatedly exchanged criticism on social media, building a rivalry over their careers. Their public back-and-forth eventually continued beyond online exchanges.
Muhammad and Covington finally shared the same room during the RAF 11 post-fight press conference after their victories. Their exchange became heated before security intervened and separated them. RAF later confirmed their Cruiserweight Crossover title matchup for August 22 in Cleveland.
Belal Muhammad also earned his first RAF promotional victory at RAF 11 by defeating Ben Askren on the same card. However, he previously suffered a defeat against David Carr at RAF 04. The result set up a major RAF 12 matchup against Colby Covington for the Cruiserweight Crossover title.
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