Arman Tsarukyan introduced an excessive level of mixed martial arts behavior into a wrestling competition held on Saturday.
The second-ranked UFC lightweight participant ignited a widespread altercation at RAF 6 following the conclusion of his bout with Georgio Poullas, pushing his adversary to the ground once the clock ran out and delivering strikes. Utter pandemonium swiftly ensued, as numerous individuals, exceeding twelve, swarmed onto the wrestling surface, either to intervene in the conflict or to initiate additional confrontations.
The disarray concluded when Colby Covington, a three-time contender for the UFC title, accompanied Poullas behind the scenes, while separate skirmishes also erupted among spectators who had been vocally supporting Poullas with “USA” chants.
The contest had already been contentious, characterized by the two grapplers trading open-hand blows and engaging in other aggressive maneuvers, before the animosity intensified dramatically in the concluding moments.
This marks merely the most recent occurrence of such behavior from Tsarukyan, who notably struck a spectator prior to his bout at UFC 300 in 2024 and is purported to have fractured Dan Hooker’s nasal bone with a headbutt during weigh-ins last November. This engagement represented his second appearance for Real American Freestyle, having previously overcome Lance Palmer with a decisive victory at RAF 5 in January.
The repercussions of Saturday’s disruptive conduct on his standing within the UFC are yet to be determined. At present, he finds himself in a period of inactivity, anticipating the clash between lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and interim titleholder Justin Gaethje, anticipated (ideally) in the foreseeable future. A significant number of observers felt he had already earned a championship opportunity after his triumph over Hooker, but these recent events are unequivocally detrimental to his public image.
