Arman Tsarukyan faceplanted rapper 6ix9ine after the entertainer attempted to take down the top UFC lightweight contender. The incident occurred during a confrontation between the two.
Arman Tsarukyan turned a would-be takedown attempt by rapper 6ix9ine into a brief, humbling floor demonstration, leaving the entertainer face-first on the ground during a confrontation between the two.
Tsarukyan, known by the nickname "Ahalkalakets," is hardly someone to try a takedown on. The 29-year-old Russian fights out of American Top Team and currently sits at number one in the UFC lightweight rankings, carrying a professional record of 23-3-0. Standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, he is one of the division's most well-rounded threats, averaging 3.85 significant strikes landed per minute at 50 percent accuracy while also logging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes. In short, grappling is very much part of his game.
6ix9ine, by contrast, is a recording artist with no documented combat sports background. Whatever prompted him to attempt a takedown on the top lightweight contender in the world, the outcome was predictable to anyone familiar with Tsarukyan's résumé.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the number one ranked lightweight contender, making him one of the most dangerous grapplers outside the octagon as well as inside it
- The clip underscores the gap between celebrity combat stunts and elite MMA wrestling credentials
- The incident adds an unusual social footnote to Tsarukyan's profile at what is a critical point in his lightweight title pursuit
