UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan participated and won his wrestling match at Real American Freestyle 6 over Georgio Poullas. Unfortunately, the match exploded into a brawl that nearly spilled into the spectators in Tempe, Arizona.
Tsarukyan and Poullas had to be separated by security and members of their team, but the latter kept battling for several minutes after. Here is a breakdown of the brawl and some of the heat that led to bad blood.
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Arman Tsarukyan of Georgia battles Dan Hooker of New Zealand in a lightweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena (ABHA Arena) in Doha, Qatar, on November 22, 2025. (Photo by Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Key Facts at a Glance
|
Category |
Details |
|---|---|
|
Event |
Real American Freestyle 6 (RAF 6) |
|
Date |
Saturday, February 28, 2026 |
|
Venue |
Mullett Arena, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona |
|
Match Result |
Arman Tsarukyan def. Georgio Poullas, 5-3 (Decision) |
|
What Happened |
Tsarukyan tackled and punched Poullas immediately after the match ended, sparking a multi-person brawl |
|
Tsarukyan UFC Record |
10-2 (23-3 overall MMA) |
|
UFC Ranking |
No. 2 lightweight, No. 15 pound-for-pound |
|
Prior Incidents |
Punched a fan during walkout at UFC 300 (2024); headbutted Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar weigh-ins (November 2025) |
What Happened at RAF 6
Here is a few angles of the brawl.
Tsarukyan competed in the co-main event against Poullas, a content creator and former collegiate wrestler best known for his viral street takedown challenges. The match was chippy from the start. Poullas repeatedly slapped at Tsarukyan’s head early in the contest, prompting Tsarukyan to retaliate with a slap of his own. The referee halted the match multiple times to restore order, but the hostility only escalated from there.
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Tsarukyan led 2-1 entering the second period and stretched the advantage to 4-1 after a push out. Poullas managed a late takedown in a scramble and attempted a gut-wrench, but Tsarukyan defended and countered with a double-leg of his own. The match ended 5-3 in Tsarukyan’s favor — a clear victory. That should have been the end of it.
The Brawl
Immediately after the final whistle, Tsarukyan charged Poullas, tackling him to the mat and throwing punches as if they were inside the Octagon. The situation mushroomed instantly. Coaches, athletes, and security swarmed the stage. Punches were exchanged across the venue as the chaos expanded from the mats to the floor.
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UFC welterweight Colby Covington was among those who attempted to intervene. RAF officials eventually regained control, but the damage — to the event’s reputation and Tsarukyan’s — was already done.
A Pattern That’s Getting Harder to Ignore
This is not new territory for Tsarukyan. At UFC 300 in April 2024, he threw a punch at a fan during his walkout after claiming the spectator flipped him off. The Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended him nine months and fined him $25,000.
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Then in November 2025, he headbutted Dan Hooker during the UFC Qatar weigh-ins, breaking Hooker’s nose the night before their fight. Dana White confirmed the headbutt played a factor in Tsarukyan being passed over for the recent interim lightweight title fight at UFC 324.
Tsarukyan is one of the most talented lightweights on the planet — 10-2 in the UFC, ranked No. 2 in the division, with wins over Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush. The skill has never been in question. But the discipline has.
Three high-profile incidents in under two years is a pattern, and this one happened outside the UFC’s jurisdiction entirely. Whether RAF takes action, and whether UFC brass factors this into his title timeline, are the questions that matter now.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
