Arman Tsarukyan was removed from a commercial airline flight along with his team due to violations of airline rules, specifically using a phone during takeoff and having a tray table open. The incident occurred as he was traveling to his next grappling tournament. Following the removal, Tsarukyan arranged a private jet to continue his journey. His match against Juraj Faber at RAF 08 remains confirmed and will take place in two days as scheduled.
Arman Tsarukyan's travel plans hit an unexpected snag ahead of his appearance at RAF 08, after the lightweight contender and his team were removed from a commercial flight for violating airline rules. The infractions reportedly involved using a phone during takeoff and leaving a tray table open. Rather than let the disruption derail his schedule, Tsarukyan arranged a private jet to complete the journey, and his grappling match against Juraj Faber at RAF 08 remains on as planned, set to take place in two days.
Tsarukyan, 29, holds a professional MMA record of 23-3-0 and currently sits at number one in the UFC lightweight division, making him one of the most prominent fighters in the sport outside of the championship picture. The Russian fighter, who trains out of American Top Team, stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach and fights out of the orthodox stance. Inside the cage, he is a well-rounded threat, averaging 3.85 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy while also posing a consistent grappling danger with 3.26 takedown attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the number-one ranked lightweight, meaning his health and availability carry significant divisional weight.
- The RAF 08 grappling appearance offers a rare look at his submission game outside of MMA competition, where he averages just 0.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
- The swift pivot to a private jet confirms the bout against Juraj Faber proceeds on schedule, removing any doubt about a potential withdrawal.
