UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan secured a decisive victory over former Bellator champion Patricky “Pitbull” Freire, submitting the Brazilian veteran in the fifth round of their highly anticipated match at ADXC 10 in Moscow, Russia.
The contest, which served as the main event of the card, saw both competitors engage in technical exchanges throughout, with Tsarukyan ultimately asserting his dominance in the final frame. The crowd erupted as Tsarukyan locked in the march-ending rear-naked choke, forcing Pitbull to concede defeat.
Throughout the match, Tsarukyan demonstrated superior control with his leg positioning, consistently applying pressure while hunting for submission opportunities. “Good control by legs, Arman Sorokane and again tries to make pressure on the chin,” noted commentators as Tsarukyan worked methodically toward the finish.
The fourth round nearly saw an early conclusion when Tsarukyan secured a tight arm-triangle choke, but time expired before he could force the tap. Undeterred, the UFC standout immediately capitalized when action resumed in the fifth round.
As Pitbull attempted an early takedown to start the final frame, Tsarukyan skillfully defended and swiftly took his opponent’s back. After surviving an initial neck crank attempt, Pitbull could not escape the perfectly executed rear-naked choke that followed, bringing the intense grappling match to its conclusion.
This victory improves Tsarukyan’s grappling record to 2-0 since his impressive decision win over former UFC champion Charles Oliveira in April 2024. The Armenian-Russian star continues to build momentum, now holding a 9-2 record in the UFC.
The co-main event featured another compelling matchup as former Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov faced Ronny Markes in a rematch of their 2017 MMA bout. While Nemkov had secured a first-round guillotine submission in their initial encounter, Markes earned redemption on this occasion, claiming a unanimous decision victory after five rounds.
Earlier on the ADXC 10 card, Askar Arkarov, who previously competed in the UFC’s flyweight division and holds a win over current champion Alexandre Pantoja, defeated Rogerio Bontorin via unanimous decision following five rounds of technical grappling.
