Arman Tsarukyan is set to take on Georgio Poullas in a submission-only match following a brawl that sparked chaos after a video went viral online. The heated altercation may have been triggered when Poullas struck Tsarukyan repeatedly, failing to show real sportsmanship. The situation escalated immediately, prompting courtside officials to intervene.
The 29-year-old Armenian made his Real American Freestyle debut in January 2026 and competed in the RAF 6 match against Poullas on February 28, 2026, marking a kickstart to his freestyle wrestling career.
Arman Tsarukyan Will Face Georgio Poullas in a Rematch
Tsarukyan, one of the top lightweights in the UFC, has been no stranger to controversy. In November 2025, the 29-year-old headbutted his opponent, Dan Hooker, during their staredown at a UFC Fight Night event in Doha, Qatar. Although the incident occurred during the faceoff, staff members and the matchmaker intervened to separate them, and the fighters competed as scheduled the following day. Later, the Armenian said he felt he was being intentionally intimidated.
The incident paved the way for more, as UFC President Dana White announced that Tsarukyan would not be in contention for an interim lightweight fight, which ultimately went to Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 after Ilia Topuria’s withdrawal.
Cut to February, the mixed martial artist was involved in a heated altercation with Poullas, as seen in a video circulating online. The incident sparked outrage, with many questioning the discipline within the wrestling forum. The Armenian secured a 5–3 victory, but recent reports state that the opponents will return to the mat for a submission-only bout hosted by Hype Fighting in Rio de Janeiro.
In Tsarukyan’s freestyle debut at RAF 5, Tsarukyan matched up with Lance Palmer and won the fight by technical fall 10-0 in the initial period.
In a conversation with Ariel Helwani, the show host, the Armenian wrestler broke the silence about the altercation, sharing that he only struck back after Poullas struck him multiple times. He called it ‘disrespectful’ as the referee also waited for the American to stop when he should have just warned him to cut him from wrestling.
He also said that Poullas was trying to break his fingers, poke his eyes, and take the fighting to another level. Tsarukyan thus waited for the victory to strike back at his opponent.
On the same show, Poullas clarified that there is no “bad blood” between him and the Armenian, only unfinished business. He also shared that the video clips making the rounds on the internet are just noise.
