Summary
Tsarukyan at a UFC event. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC
It's no secret that Dana White isn't exactly fond of Arman Tsarukyan , and UFC 326 proved this incompatibility. Last Saturday (7), in Las Vegas (USA), the Armenian, a fight fan, was present at the 'T-Mobile Arena' to watch the event and provoked the organization. When questioned about the lightweight top fighter (up to 70,3 kg), the company president made it clear that there is a problem.
In the post-show press conference, Dana disapproved of Tsarukyan's bad boy attitude and didn't seem enthusiastic about his future in the UFC. It's worth noting that in February, the Armenian wrestled Georgio Poullas and, angered by the provocations, punched him in the face after the fight, starting a general brawl between the teams.
See too
Not satisfied, the athlete appeared at UFC 326 and made a point of showing that he was handcuffed, in a clear allusion to the treatment he receives from the company, which prevents him from competing for the lightweight title. It is true that Arman is second in the division's ranking and has the recognition from fans and professionals that he should be the number one contender. However, Dana White is not swayed by the appeals.
“I didn’t like that, but that night the problem was someone else’s, not mine. Yes, that’s all I have to say about it. The division is heating up and there are many interesting fights to come. We’ll figure out what’s coming for Tsarukyan, but I don’t know. I’m not enthusiastic about Tsarukyan at the moment and there are several different reasons,” said the official.
"It's not just what you see publicly. There are many guys who wrestle, who have been respectful to other guys they've wrestled, and I understand that some provocations happen, but where there's smoke, there's fire, and Tsarukyan has been releasing a lot of smoke lately," he concluded.
History of confusion
Arman Tsarukyan 's situation began to worsen at UFC 311 in January 2025. At the time, the Armenian was scheduled to challenge champion Islam Makhachev in one of the most anticipated rematches, but claimed to have suffered a back injury and withdrew from the fight the day before it was scheduled. To make matters worse, the athlete is constantly irritable and often resolves his problems by resorting to aggression.
In 2023, Tsarukyan slapped Bobby Green in the face when he encountered him in the hallway of the hotel where UFC fighters stay. In his defense, the Armenian stated that the veteran had provoked him on social media and in interviews, and therefore he demanded respect. In 2024, the athlete interrupted his walk to the octagon to face Charles Oliveira in order to punch a fan who disrespected him.
In November, Arman headbutted Dan Hooker at the ceremonial weigh-in, jeopardizing the main event of UFC Qatar. The Armenian's latest controversy was the incident at RAF. In fact, the wrestling organization has already confirmed that he will face Poullas again soon. Precisely because of his troubled history, Tsarukyan has been more active outside of the UFC than inside it.
View this photo on Instagram
Johnny Walker opens up about his heavyweight debut at UFC 332.
You need to log in to comment.