No. 2-Ranked UFC Lightweight Title Contender Gets Kicked Off Airplane For Odd Reason

Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Arman Tsarukyan during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

No. 2-Ranked UFC Lightweight Title Contender Gets Kicked Off Airplane For Odd Reason

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Zain Bando | Last updated Apr 17, 2026 9:39 AM ET

Add us as a preferred source on Google

UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan has stayed busy as he awaits a return date to the Octagon following his second-round arm-triangle choke submission win against Dan Hooker last November.

Since then, Tsarukyan's year has thus far focused on freestyle wrestling and submission grappling to remain a fixture in the combat sports landscape.

In doing so, Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) teamed up with Real American Freestyle (RAF), showcasing his global presence on Fox Nation in matches opposite Lance Palmer and Georgio Poullas (x2). Sandwiched between those was a grappling match with ex-UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev, securing a rear-naked choke at Hype FC Brazil last month.

This Saturday at RAF 08 in Philadelphia, PA, Tsarukyan is set to co-headline opposite former WEC champion and UFC legend Urijah Faber as part of a stacked event headlined by former UFC Bantamweight Champions Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo, as part of a seven-match event from The Liacouras Center.

Arman Tsarukyan Awaits Next UFC Opporunity

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Except, there's a slight problem: Tsarukyan's travel plans. In a video released by journalist Adam Zubayraev Thursday evening, Tsarukyan was seen with security on a flight out of Los Angeles. Amongst the chaos, Zubayraev described the situation that unfolded in the video. It has been seen 358,500 times (and counting) at press time.

"Arman Tsarukyan and his two friends were removed from an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Philadelphia because he was looking at his phone during takeoff, absolute madness," Zubayraev wrote on "X."

Tsarukyan later took a picture of an American Airlines employee after things began to calm down, calling the woman "rude and unprofessional" on his Instagram story.

It is unclear why Tsarukyan was reprimanded for his phone usage. It is standard practice to silence all electronic devices (or set them to Airplane Mode) during an aircraft's takeoff and landing.

The promotion has not released a statement about the incident in question, as the press conference is still scheduled for 3 p.m. ET Friday, with Saturday morning weigh-ins ahead of the matches getting underway at 8 p.m. ET.

Tsarukyan is 3-0 in RAF thus far, as he has quickly become a household name in the wrestling community in just four months.

RAF 08 Sees "The Machine" Return Alongside Arman Tsarukyan

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

RAF has continued to stay busy, announcing events in Dallas (May 30), St. Louis (June 13), and Cleveland (Aug. 22), showcasing some of the best talent MMA wrestling has to offer, alongside ushering in the next generation of stars.

We'll see what transpires come match night, as Tsarukyan successfully made it to his destination via a private jet.

This article first appeared on MMA on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: