Jordan Burroughs Blows His Shot at Tsarukyan After Stunning RAF 14 Upset
Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs lost to Michael Caliendo at RAF 14, and Arman Tsarukyan says there is no point wrestling him now.
Jordan Burroughs was one win away from a dream matchup with Arman Tsarukyan under the Real American Freestyle banner. Instead, he got upset by Michael Caliendo in a 7-5 decision at RAF 14 in Las Vegas last week, and the UFC lightweight contender has already moved on.
Burroughs, a six-time World champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist, had not allowed a single point in his previous two RAF competitions, per USA Wrestling. That streak ended in dramatic fashion. Caliendo attacked from the opening whistle, built a 5-0 lead, and held on after Burroughs stormed back to tie it at 5-5. In the final seconds, Caliendo caught Burroughs' leg and scored a two-point counter to seal the upset and earn Performance of the Night honors.
Tsarukyan, who dominated Dillon Danis 10-0 by technical fall in the middleweight crossover title match at the same event, made clear that Burroughs' loss killed any interest in the matchup. "He's got to be number one in RAF," Tsarukyan told MiddleEasy. "So now I'm looking for somebody else."
That somebody else could be Georges St-Pierre. Tsarukyan named the retired MMA legend as a potential opponent, saying, "I would like to wrestle him." RAF co-founder Chad Bronstein has reportedly pursued St-Pierre and discussed a possible Canadian event, though no deal has been announced, per MiddleEasy.
Tsarukyan next faces Neiman Gracie in a catchweight crossover co-main event at RAF Abu Dhabi on November 14.
This is what happens when you put elite wrestlers in a promotion where one loss can erase months of momentum. Jordan Burroughs is a legend, a legit Olympic gold medalist, and he got caught by a guy who came in with a game plan and executed it. Credit to Caliendo for going after a decorated veteran from the first whistle and not flinching when Burroughs made his run.
The Tsarukyan angle makes this even more interesting. Arman has standards for who he competes with in RAF, and losing to Caliendo knocked Burroughs off that list immediately. "He's got to be number one in RAF" is as cold a dismissal as it gets in combat sports.
RAF is becoming a real thing. When you've got Olympic gold medalists getting upset, UFC champions wrestling on the card, and Georges St-Pierre being discussed as a potential opponent, you're not a gimmick anymore. You're a promotion with stakes.
