The highly anticipated showdown between Arman Tsarukyan and Georgio Poullas at Real American Freestyle (RAF) electrified fans on Saturday, February 28, as both athletes delivered a thrilling wrestling spectacle. But the excitement quickly spiraled into chaos when, after the final whistle, tensions erupted into a heated brawl, forcing staff members to intervene and pull the fighters apart.
Arman Tsarukyan And Georgio Poullas’ Fight
Tsarukyan competes in UFC’s lightweight division. He made his RAF debut at RAF 05 in January, where he defeated two‑time PFL champion and NCAA‑All‑American Lance Palmer by a 10–0 technical fall in freestyle wrestling.
Set in Tempe, Arizona, the middleweight freestyle wrestling clash at Mullett Arena saw Tsarukyan edge out Poullas with a hard-fought 5–3 victory. Yet, the drama did not end there. Just moments after his win, Tsarukyan lunged at Poullas, igniting a wild melee that had officials scrambling to restore order.
Reports suggest Poullas crossed the line with illegal moves such as hair-pulling and slapping, possibly provoking Tsarukyan’s explosive response. However, Tsarukyan’s outburst may come at a cost, potentially jeopardizing his next UFC fight opportunity.
This is not the first time Tsarukyan has been involved in a controversial incident. At UFC 300 in April 2024, he punched a fan during his entrance after the fan allegedly made a rude gesture toward him. Ahead of his bout with Dan Hooker in 2025, Tsarukyan reportedly headbutted Hooker at the official weigh‑ins.
Tsarukyan Opened Up on Getting Into Fighting
Poullas is known for his viral “Take Me Down, Win $1,000” grappling challenge, in which he invites random people or athletes to try to take him down. RAF eventually booked him to face Tsarukyan, after the Armenian defeated Lance Palmer.
In an interview with Daniel Cormier, Tsarukyan spoke about how he got into fighting after failed attempts at becoming a hockey player: (6:05 onwards)
“I lived close to Yakutsk and even closer to Alaska. Everyone played hockey there, and it’s extremely popular. Hockey was the number one sport in my city, which is why I played it… The grappling was so popular at that moment. I said, ‘Okay, what can I do? I cannot be a wrestler, so I should try grappling.’ I tried grappling and won a Russian competition right away. I said, It’s so easy’ [laughter]. ‘Maybe I should fight.’ So I started fighting.”
For six years, Tsarukyan chased pucks on the ice in his hometown before swapping skates for wrestling shoes. His dedication paid off as he earned the prestigious Master of Sports title in freestyle wrestling, paving the way for his professional MMA debut in 2015.
