Arman Tsarukyan vs. Georgio Poullas set for submission-only rematch in Brazil
UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan and social media star Georgio Poullas will square off in a submission-only clash on March 11.
After a wild ending to their hotly anticipated wrestling match, Arman Tsarukyan and Georgio Poullas will now run it back under submission-only rules.
This past Saturday, at Real American Freestyle (RAF) 6, Tsarukyan picked up a closely-contested victory over Poullas after a match that was filled with drama, slaps, and shoves from each competitor that forced the referee to step in. When the match ended, Tsarukyan – who is currently the #2-ranked UFC lightweight contender – threw a punch at Poullas, setting off a massive brawl that brought dozens to the mat.
On Tuesday, Moscow-based promotion Hype Fighting announced that Tsarukyan and Poullas will meet in a submission-only grappling bout on March 11 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, at the Farmasi Arena. The contest is slated for 10 minutes.
Tsarukyan is widely recognized as one of the planet’s top lightweight MMA fighters. The 29-year-old Armenian star boasts a 10-2 record in the UFC and is currently riding a five-fight winning streak that has positioned him close to a UFC title shot.
Considering Tsarukyan’s grappling-heavy style of fighting, it’s perhaps no surprise that he has recently branched out into competitive grappling. With his points victory over Poullas at RAF 6, he now owns a 2-0 freestyle wrestling record, having defeated former PFL champion Lance Palmer by technical fall in January at RAF 5. Tsarukyan is also undefeated in submission grappling, with victories over former UFC champion Benson Henderson and former Bellator champion Patricky “Pitbull” Freire.
For his part, Poullas was a state champion wrestler in high school who briefly went on to wrestle in college before turning his efforts to becoming a social media star. Poullas has used a popular “take me down, win $1,000” gimmick to amass a significant following across multiple social media platforms. Notably, he claims to have never once been taken down during this challenge.
How to watch: Arman Tsarukyan vs. Georgio Poullas will air live on the Hype Fighting Kick channel on March 11, 2026.
