Just three weeks remain before Arman Tsarukyan faces Neiman Gracie, a member of the renowned Gracie family, in Abu Dhabi. However, Tsarukyan appears unimpressed by Gracie’s credentials, including his fourth-degree BJJ black belt. After claiming the inaugural RAF Middleweight Crossover Championship by defeating Dillon Danis at RAF 14 in Fontainebleau, Las Vegas, Tsarukyan has set his sights on big names like George St-Pierre (GSP) for future matchups.

“Yeah, we got a lot of names here,” Tsarukyan responded when asked if he had zeroed in on a particular opponent for his first title defense. “I’m focusing on MMA fighters. So, and with the big names, I don’t want to just wrestle with no names; I want to collect all the big names, all the best fighters.

“So, a lot of UFC fighters, a lot of good fighters, signed, and so we’ll see. Maybe GSP—they can bring in GSP. I would like to wrestle him.”

Tsarukyan’s comments reflect a resume built on matchups against established names in mixed martial arts. His UFC career includes notable victories over Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariush, Dan Hooker, and Mateusz Gamrot, alongside an early loss to Islam Makhachev.

Riding a six-fight winning streak, Tsarukyan has also moved closer to a lightweight title shot following his victory over Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main event at UFC 331.

However, his wrestling resume presents a different picture. Although Tsarukyan has faced several recognizable names in crossover wrestling, including former UFC title challengers Urijah Faber, Tony Ferguson, and Colby Covington as well as Danis, he has yet to face a wrestling legend with St-Pierre’s profile and resume.

Tsarukyan may be looking to fill up that gap. Having won a championship in RAF before capturing a UFC title, Tsarukyan’s ambitions have soared, and he wants to test himself against someone whose reputation could strengthen his standing in wrestling.

St-Pierre is not the only legendary figure Tsarukyan has challenged. His pursuit of elite competition has also led him to criticize Olympic gold medalist and multi-time world champion Jordan Burroughs for pursuing a matchup with Islam Makhachev instead of testing himself against accomplished freestyle wrestlers.

Tsarukyan may have singled out St-Pierre because the Canadian remains a high-profile benchmark for MMA fighters and wrestlers seeking to measure themselves against an all-time great.

Beyond Arman Tsarukyan: GSP’s callout list keeps growing

Khabib Nurmagomedov also expressed interest in facing St-Pierre, but health and weight-cutting concerns prevented the matchup from happening. More recently, Colby Covington, who officially retired from the UFC in May this year, has emerged as one of RAF’s prominent competitors. He remains unbeaten in the promotion and won the inaugural RAF Cruiserweight Crossover Championship.

Soon after defeating Luke Rockhold in his RAF debut, Covington challenged St-Pierre, pointing to their positions on the UFC welterweight takedown leaderboard. Although Covington has claimed St-Pierre is interested, the Canadian legend has not confirmed an agreement.

RAF has also considered hosting an event in Canada to help make the matchup happen, although no date or venue has been announced.

St-Pierre remains retired from professional MMA but has not completely dismissed the possibility of competing again under suitable conditions. His recent comments suggest that wrestling and grappling appeal to him more than a return to conventional fighting.

A reported back problem earlier in 2026, along with personal and professional responsibilities, affected his availability during the summer.

Tsarukyan’s challenge to St-Pierre is a part of a broader trend. Calling out high-profile opponents can boost a fighter’s visibility and create opportunities for lucrative matchups.

Khamzat Chimaev’s wrestling victory over legend Robbie Lawler and Ilia Topuria’s knockout of Max Holloway show how challenges involving established names can lead to high-profile contests. While Joaquin Buckley’s attempts to attract Conor McGregor failed, Jake Paul’s boxing victories over icons Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley, and Ben Askren highlight the commercial draw of crossover fights.