Arman Tsarukyan and two members of his team were removed from an American Airlines flight for violating in-flight rules, specifically using a phone during takeoff and having a tray table open. Tsarukyan was traveling to Philadelphia for his scheduled Saturday bout at RAF. After being removed from the commercial flight, he quickly arranged a private jet and successfully reached the event location. He is still scheduled to compete at the RAF tournament as planned.
Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan had an eventful journey to Philadelphia after he and two teammates were removed from an American Airlines flight ahead of his scheduled Saturday appearance at RAF, forcing the Armenian-born Russian fighter to charter a private jet to reach the event on time.
Tsarukyan and his companions were ejected from the commercial flight for violating in-flight regulations, specifically using a phone during takeoff and leaving a tray table open. Despite the disruption, the 29-year-old quickly secured alternative travel arrangements and arrived at the event location without any reported impact to his participation. He remains fully scheduled to compete at the RAF tournament as planned.
Ranked number one in the lightweight division, Tsarukyan carries a 23-3-0 professional record and trains out of American Top Team. Standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, the orthodox fighter has built a reputation as one of the busiest and most accurate strikers in the 155-pound weight class, landing 3.85 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent accuracy rate. He also brings a credible wrestling threat, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan holds the number one lightweight ranking, meaning any late travel disruption carries high divisional stakes
- His successful arrival confirms the bout proceeds as scheduled at RAF
- The incident drew public attention ahead of what was already a closely watched appearance for one of the division's top contenders
