Arman Tsarukyan secured a technical submission victory over Muhammad Mokaev via rear-naked choke in the main event of Hype Brazil on March 12, 2026. The 10-minute submission-only grappling match took place at Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Tsarukyan dominated with his size advantage, putting Mokaev to sleep at 7:46.
The Hype Brazil event featured a mix of submission-only grappling and bare-knuckle boxing matches, but the headline bout pitted UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan against former UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev. Tsarukyan, ranked No. 1 in his division, used his superior size and relentless pressure to control the action from the start. Early in the match, Tsarukyan accused Mokaev of greasing, leading to a brief pause for toweling. He quickly took Mokaev down into half guard and methodically advanced positions, passing to side control and mount despite Mokaev's defensive efforts to re-guard.
With about 2:30 left, Tsarukyan transitioned to Mokaev's back from a front headlock, securing both hooks and sinking in a rear-naked choke. Mokaev went to sleep without tapping, earning Tsarukyan the win at 7:46 of the 10-minute round. Post-match, Tsarukyan was awarded a Hype championship belt by ring announcer Valter Walker. He thanked the UFC for allowing his side quests, reaffirmed his status as top contender, and predicted holding the UFC lightweight and BMF titles soon. Tsarukyan called out Dillon Danis for a grappling match, saying, "Grapple me, come on, bro. Let’s do it. I am going to smoke you." He also targeted Charles Oliveira, stating, "I want to fight Charles Oliveira next… I was born ready for this, so I’m down any date."
Danis accepted the challenge on X, posting, "I accept. @ArmanUfc I’ll see you soon." This marks Tsarukyan's third non-UFC win in 2026, following victories over Lance Palmer and Giorgio Poullas in RAF events; he is scheduled to rematch Poullas on March 28 at RAF 7.
The event was chaotic, with Walker interrupting a bare-knuckle bout between Mauricio Boni and Leonardo Guimaraes, canceling it mid-fight for lack of action, and prompting an impromptu fight involving security and a fan. Other grappling matches, including Jean Silva vs. Bryce Mitchell and Edson Barboza vs. Shara Magomedov, ended in draws. A bout between Lev Sarkisyan and Joilton Lutterbach devolved into brawls.
