Arman Tsarukyan and Khabib Nurmagomedov (Photo by Imagn)

UFC Legend Compares Arman Tsarukyan’s Alligator Choke to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Bear Wrestling

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Pavan Sharma | Last updated Apr 4, 2026 12:41 PM ET

Chael Sonnen has spent his entire public career finding the perfect historical frame for whatever is happening in MMA at any given moment. And his read on Arman Tsarukyan vs. an Everglades alligator might be his finest work yet. He has called the Armenian fighter choking an alligator and is the new version of Khabib Nurmagomedov wrestling with a bear.

The comparison to ‘The Eagle’ wrestling a bear is not just random nostalgia. It connects to one of the most famous stories in combat sports. For years, footage of a young Khabib grappling with a bear in Dagestan has circulated widely. Meanwhile, Tsarukyan, sitting on the back of a massive alligator during a live stream with N3on and Nina Drama at Everglades Holiday Park, felt like the 2026 version of that same energy.

“I just saw him on the back of an alligator. Trying to figure out how he was going to choke the damn thing. Which was very reminiscent, it was like a new school version of when Khabib used to wrestle the bear. It really was. Like, Armand on the back of this alligator trying, like, how am I going to choke this thing out? It was just interesting,” Sonnen said.

Chael Sonnen says Arman trying to choke an alligator is the new-school version of Khabib wrestling a bear

"I just saw Arman trying to figure out how he was going to choke the alligator. It was like a new-school version of when Khabib used to wrestle a bear."

(Via… pic.twitter.com/kPyKLaQVch
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) April 4, 2026

There is no doubt that Arman Tsarukyan has solid wrestling. He has shown it again and again, from his grappling sessions with Muhammad Mokaev to wrestling showdowns with Giorgio Poullas. Of course, he did not actually choke the alligator, but the moment was still scary to watch. Meanwhile, the Armenian is set for yet another wrestling showdown.

Arman Tsaruyan Will Challenge Urijah Faber at RAF 08

Tsarukyan is officially set to face Urijah Faber at RAF 08 on April 18, 2026. The bout will be a 175-pound freestyle wrestling match and will serve as the co-main event on the Real American Freestyle card. The event will take place at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia and will stream live on FOX Nation.

Arman Tsarukyan vs. Urijah Faber is set to be the co-main event for RAF 08 on April 18th.

(via @RAFWrestlingUSA) pic.twitter.com/6C8M5r4fen
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) April 1, 2026

Sean O’Malley just called him a legend in the making. And pointed out that nobody has ever built a profile quite like this while being simultaneously frozen out of the title picture by the promotion.

The No. 1 ranking, the five-fight winning streak, the RAF wins, the viral moments, and the grappling championship performances make him unstoppable. Indeed, all of it has been building toward one statement from Tsarukyan. He believes he is the most dangerous fighter in the lightweight division.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: