Arman Tsarukyan labels Dillon Danis "worst fighter ever" and promises "elbows" at RAF 14

Arman Tsarukyan has directed considerable criticism toward Dillon Danis ahead of their highly anticipated freestyle wrestling match. 

Tsarukyan is booked to take on Danis for the inaugural RAF middleweight crossover championship in the headlining matchup of RAF 14. The Real American Freestyle (RAF) wrestling event is all set to be held at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas on Friday, October 23. 

RAF 14 star Arman Tsarukyan sounds off on Dillon Danis, sends "elbows" warning

Speaking to Mike Heck of MMA Fighting, Arman Tsarukyan appeared to acknowledge that Dillon Danis hails from a BJJ background and brings significant Jiu-Jitsu skills to the table. He underlined, however, that Danis doesn't possess wrestling and MMA skills. 

The Armenian-Russian fighter stated, "So Dillon Danis, he's a good grappler, sh**y wrestler... and worst fighter ever." 

When asked whether he meant Danis was the worst fighter in the sport of MMA, Tsarukyan said, "Yeah, in MMA." Upon being questioned if he deemed "El Jefe" the worst fighter in MMA history, he noted, "Most likely." 

Tsarukyan added, "He doesn't know sh** about MMA." He also indicated that he'd teach Danis a few lessons about MMA: "Maybe one, two elbows." 

Moreover, "The Batman" implied that anything could happen come Friday, seemingly hinting at the speculation that a brawl could break out between his and Danis's entourages, akin to how Khamzat Chimaev and Danis's groups brawled earlier this year. 

The UFC lightweight star also hit back at Danis's prediction of a pinfall victory over him. Tsarukyan suggested that it's a good and bold prediction, but he'll be the one to secure a dominant pinfall win over the American. He further warned, "I'm gonna do a lot of things; not only pin." 

Watch Arman Tsarukyan criticize Dillon Danis's fighting prowess and warn the grappling savant before RAF 14 below: 

Arman Tsarukyan promises "one or two elbows" for Dillon Danis during their RAF 14 match: "He's a good grappler, sh*tty wrestler, and the worst fighter ever in MMA." https://t.co/qLNalbm7L2

— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) October 22, 2026

Arman Tsarukyan is on the cusp of MMA glory going into 2027, Dillon Danis eyes maiden RAF win

Arman Tsarukyan is coming off a thunderous elbow KO win over Mauricio Ruffy, whom he bested in the co-headlining match of UFC 331 last month. Tsarukyan is considered to be the likely challenger for UFC lightweight kingpin Justin Gaethje's title in early 2027.

Ergo, many believe that the 30-year-old wrestling extraordinaire is on the verge of achieving MMA glory. Some believe that Gaethje would retire after the fight and have hailed Tsarukyan as a megastar in the making for the UFC lightweight division and the UFC in general. 

Meanwhile, Dillon Danis withdrew from his scheduled MMA clash against Mike Perry in August, citing an arm injury. Danis is 3-0 in MMA, and he's long been criticized for not competing frequently in the sport despite being a prominent name in the pro combat sports sphere. 

Danis, on his part, is also looking for his first win in the RAF wrestling organization. His RAF debut saw him lose via tech fall to Colby Covington earlier this year. That was followed by his latest RAF appearance, a pinfall defeat against Khamzat Chimaev in June.