Two months after beating Charles Oliveira at UFC 300, Arman Tsarukyan has received a suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Tsarukyan, 27, improved to 22-3 with the win over the former champion and solidified himself as the No. 1 contender in the division. The lightweight bout was the second fight of the pay-per-view main card due to the stakes implied in the matchup and Oliveira’s status as a unanimously beloved fan favorite.
Arman Tsarukyan UFC 300 Suspension Revealed
Arman Tsarukyan has been suspended nine months (retroactive) and fined $25,000 (+$471.12 in fees) by the NSAC for his #UFC300 altercation with a fan. His suspension can be reduced to six months if he produces a video for an anti-bullying campaign. pic.twitter.com/JgX34GHhJL
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) June 25, 2024
As first reported by Nolan King of MMA Junkie, Arman Tsarukyan received a nine-month suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission after reviewing his pre-fight actions while walking out to face Charles Oliveira at UFC 300. On top of the suspension, Tsarukyan was also fined $25,000 with an additional $471.12 in processing fees.
Per King, Tsarukyan can reduce his suspension to six months if he participates in an anti-bullying video campaign. The specifics of the video were not made clear, and it was not reported if the requested promotion was a collaboration with a specific organization or if the fighter was to just make a social media post.
What did Arman Tsarukyan do at UFC 300?
Arman Tsarukyan picked up the biggest win of his career at UFC 300 but received more media attention for his actions while walking out to the Octagon than the fight itself.
Tsarukyan, who entered the fight as the no. 4 ranked contender, was on his way to the cage when a fan caught his attention leaning over the rail guard. The action from the viewer was enough to cause ‘Akhalkalakets’ to pause in his tracks and attempt to punch the fan in the crowd.
The commentary trio of Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Daniel Cormier took note of the surprising action but nothing immediately resulted from it. Dana White was asked about the altercation in his post-fight presser but was dismissive, saying he would “deal with it on Monday.”
Fan Reaction to Altercation with Arman Tsarukyan
When Dana White addressed Arman Tsarukyan’s altercation with a fan at UFC 300, the company CEO stated that he believed a lawsuit would be approaching from the spectator whom the lightweight lunged at. However, the fan came out publicly in an interview with Bloody Elbow and declared that he would not sue the promotion.
The fan identified himself as Obed Ardon, saying:
” I’d like to apologize to Arman by provoking him and flipping him off. I was buzzing all day and the moment got to me. It was my first time attending a live UFC event and it was absolutely incredible.”
“To answer Dana’s questions about suing; I will not sue, that never crossed my mind. Thank you Uncle Dana for blessing us with an amazing [UFC] 300 card, and can you bless me and my brothers up with tickets to UFC 303?”
Arman Tsarukyan Next Fight
With his win over Charles Oliveira on April 13, Arman Tsarykyan has now won four straight in the UFC and is 9-2 in the promotion overall. On all accounts, the 27-year-old will be the next challenger for the lightweight title against current champion Islam Makhachev.
Makhachev and Tsarukyan have previously fought in 2019. Makhachev won the fight by unanimous decision and both fighters were given Fight of the Night bonuses afterwards. The bout was Tsarukyan’s first in the UFC as he accepted the matchup on short notice.
Following UFC 300, Makhachev defended his title against Dustin Poirier less than two months later at UFC 302. The Dagestani champion has said that he wants to get at least one more fight in during 2024. With most of the summer and fall UFC pay-per-view events booked with title fights, Makhachev and Tsarukyan figure to headline a fight card late in the year.
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