Tsarukyan defends new RAF title against debutant Pettis at RAF 15 in Chicago

Arman Tsarukyan will make the first defence of his RAF middleweight crossover title against Anthony Pettis in the main event of RAF 15 on Nov. 28 at NOW Arena in Chicago, Real American Freestyle announced on Tuesday.

Tsarukyan claimed the vacant title only this past weekend, earning a tech fall over Dillon Danis at RAF 14 in Las Vegas. He heads into the Pettis bout with another match already on his schedule: a non-title freestyle wrestling bout against Neiman Gracie at RAF Abu Dhabi on Nov. 14.

Pettis steps into the main event as a late replacement after being pulled from his originally scheduled RAF debut against Donald Cerrone. Cerrone is now off RAF 15 entirely. The bout that had been set to headline the card — Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong — has been moved to the co-main event slot.

The matchup represents a significant step up in competition and context for Pettis, who has never competed in freestyle wrestling. His most recent appearance in any combat sport came in 2024, when he lost a unanimous decision to Chris Avila in a boxing match. Facing a reigning champion fresh off a title win, in a discipline entirely new to him, marks a steep challenge for the former UFC lightweight champion.

Tsarukyan, by contrast, is an active UFC lightweight contender whose wrestling credentials are well established. His crossover into RAF has been swift and dominant, and the promotion is now positioning him against one of MMA’s most recognisable names to raise the profile of the Nov. 28 card.