Arman Tsarukyan nearly got into a fight with a fan who made an offensive gesture at him on his way to the cage at UFC 300, and UFC CEO Dana White has acknowledged that they may face legal action as a result.
Don’t stir the pot if you can’t handle the heat. That’s the gist of Arman Tsarukyan’s message after a near brawl on his way to the UFC 300 cage.
Saturday was a big day for Tsarukyan. He clinched a split decision victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300. This win puts him in the running for a future lightweight title shot.
But, here’s the kicker. His performance isn’t what’s making headlines.
During his walkout, Tsarukyan got into a bit of a scuffle. He threw a punch at a fan in the stands. Now, that’s not something you see every day.
What sparked this reaction? It was a mystery at the time.
In his post-fight scrum, Tsarukyan shed some light on the incident. He said the fan was the instigator. The fan made an offensive gesture, and Tsarukyan fought back.
“He flipped me off and tried to punch me. I wanted to punch him back,” Tsarukyan explained. “So, guys, don’t flip me off. Doesn’t matter who you are, I’ll punch you in the face. If you’re 200 meters away, I won’t punch you. But if you’re close, it’s automatic. I’m from Russia. Don’t do that, or I’ll end up in a U.S. prison.”
Athletes getting physical with fans isn’t a good look in the U.S. But this wasn’t a “Malice at the Palace” situation. Tsarukyan continued to the cage after the incident and fought without any problems.
Even so, UFC CEO Dana White had something to say about it. He spoke on the matter at his own UFC 300 scrum after the event. He acknowledged that this might not be the end of it, depending on the fan’s reaction.
“You might not want to lean over the barriers and grab people when they’re walking out,” White said. “These guys are all hyped up. I’m sure we’re probably going to get sued. We’ll deal with that on Monday too.”