Arman Tsarukyan and two friends were removed from an American Airlines flight because he was looking at his phone during takeoff and someone from his team opened their tray table. Tsarukyan was traveling to Philadelphia for his Saturday fight at RAF. After being kicked off the commercial flight, Tsarukyan quickly arranged a private jet to ensure he would still make it to the event venue on time. The incident did not affect his scheduled bout at the RAF tournament.
Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan had an eventful journey to Philadelphia ahead of his Saturday appearance at the RAF tournament, after he and two companions were removed from an American Airlines flight for minor rule violations during takeoff.
According to reports, Tsarukyan was using his phone as the aircraft prepared to depart, while a member of his group also had their tray table open. The infractions were enough for airline staff to remove the party from the flight. Rather than let the disruption derail his fight-week preparations, the 29-year-old Russian quickly arranged a private jet and arrived at the venue in time for the scheduled event.
Tsarukyan, who fights out of American Top Team, holds a 23-3-0 professional record and is ranked number one in the lightweight division. Standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, the orthodox fighter has built a reputation as a high-volume, well-rounded threat, averaging 3.85 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy while also posing a consistent grappling danger at 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the top-ranked lightweight, making his availability for any scheduled bout a matter of divisional significance
- The incident drew attention on social media but ultimately had no impact on his participation in the RAF tournament
- His swift response in securing private travel underlined the importance he placed on honoring the commitment
