Arman Tsarukyan says he never took the $250,000 N3on was supposed to pay him for being in his corner and using his song at UFC 331. 🤝💰 Tsarukyan explained that he wanted the $250K, but ultimately decided not to take the money because N3on didn’t have it and they had become friends. “I wanted to get $250K, but he doesn’t have money. I said, ‘OK, no problem. We are friends. It’s not all about money.’ He’s 21. To take $250K from him is unfair.” N3on ended up walking out with Tsarukyan and being in his corner alongside Khamzat Chimaev, while Tsarukyan used N3on’s song for his UFC 331 walkout. Respect, or should Arman have collected the $250K? 👀 Via arielhelwani #ArmanTsarukyan #N3on #UFC331 #UFC #MMA
Arman Tsarukyan has revealed he walked away from a $250,000 payment that streamer N3on had agreed to give him in exchange for corner access and the use of his song at UFC 331.
Tsarukyan explained that he originally wanted the money but chose to forgo it after realizing N3on simply did not have the funds available. Speaking on the matter, the lightweight contender paraphrased his thinking plainly: he told N3on it was fine, that they were friends, and that taking a quarter of a million dollars from a 21-year-old who could not afford it felt unfair. N3on ultimately walked out alongside Tsarukyan at UFC 331, stood in his corner next to Khamzat Chimaev, and had his song used for the walkout — the full arrangement, just without the payment changing hands.
Tsarukyan, known by the nickname "Ahalkalakets," is 24-3 and currently ranked second in the UFC lightweight division. The 29-year-old Russian trains out of American Top Team and has built a reputation as one of the most well-rounded fighters in the 155-pound weight class. He lands 3.78 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy and averages 3.25 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a consistent threat on the feet and on the mat alike.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the No. 2-ranked lightweight, so any public story surrounding him draws significant divisional attention
- The decision to waive a substantial fee speaks to the personal relationship he developed with N3on beyond their initial business arrangement
- The presence of Khamzat Chimaev in the corner adds an additional layer of intrigue given both fighters' prominence in the UFC
