Arman Tsarukyan was removed from a commercial flight along with his team due to violations of airline rules, including using a phone during takeoff and having a tray table down. The incident occurred while Tsarukyan was traveling to another wrestling tournament. After being removed from the American Airlines flight, he switched to a private jet to ensure he would arrive on time. His fight against Juraya Faber at RAF 08 remains scheduled and will take place in two days. The travel disruption did not affect Tsarukyan's ability to compete at the event.
Arman Tsarukyan briefly found himself grounded before his upcoming fight, but the lightweight contender confirmed he will still compete at RAF 08 in two days after resolving an unexpected travel setback.
Tsarukyan and his team were removed from an American Airlines commercial flight after violating airline rules, including using a phone during takeoff and failing to stow a tray table. The 29-year-old Russian was traveling to a wrestling tournament at the time of the incident. Rather than risk missing his scheduled bout, Tsarukyan arranged a private jet to reach his destination and confirmed the disruption will have no impact on his participation at the event.
The ranked number-one lightweight contender out of American Top Team carries a 23-3 record and has established himself as one of the most dangerous fighters in the 155-pound division. Standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, Tsarukyan blends a high-volume striking output — landing 3.85 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy — with a strong wrestling base that produces 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes.
His opponent at RAF 08 is Juraya Faber, though no verified fighter data for Faber was available.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan enters the bout as the number-one ranked lightweight, meaning any setback — on or off a plane — draws immediate attention across the division
- The travel disruption, now resolved, did not alter the fight card or timeline
- Tsarukyan's ability to quickly pivot to a private jet suggests his camp treated the situation as a minor inconvenience rather than a genuine threat to his preparation
