Fight of the year? Arman Tsarukyan vs Colby Covington finally set — You won’t believe the venue

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Fight of the year? Arman Tsarukyan vs Colby Covington finally set — You won’t believe the venue

Originally posted on HITC | By Donagh Corby | Last updated May 31, 2026 5:09 PM ET

Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington set for July 18 showdown in Milwaukee

Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington are set to meet on July 18 in Milwaukee, bringing an end to a feud that has been building for months.

The two fighters have spent the better part of the year trading shots back and forth while pushing for a match inside the RAF Wrestling arena. Both men have put together impressive win streaks, making this one of the more anticipated bouts of the year.

An unspoken rule had been keeping them apart, as active UFC fighters aren’t allowed to face each other outside the promotion. To get around that, Covington announced his retirement from MMA, clearing the path for this showdown to finally happen.

Covington and Tsarukyan to meet at RAF 11 in Milwaukee

Arman Tsarukyan called out Colby Covington after his win over Mugzy at Saturday’s RAF Wrestling event. Later that night, after Covington beat Chris Weidman, the two had a face-to-face confrontation.

“Tonight we’ve got Colby Covington, I hope he’s going to win and then I can whoop him because number one MMA wrestler is me,” Tsarukyan said. “And I’m going to show everybody who is the best MMA wrestler on these mats!”

Covington didn’t hold back during their exchange, responding: “Arman, you’re a spoiled little brat. You’ve been talking the talk, now let’s see if you can walk the walk! Gas up your daddy’s jet, bring that little jezebel Nina Drama and I’ll see you in Milwaukee July 18.”

The bout was made official shortly after their confrontation, with both the date and venue confirmed by the promotion.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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