The UFC lightweight contender completely lost his cool at Thursday’s RAF 14 press conference, charging across the stage and swinging at the professional troublemaker. Dillon in Dan after a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist insulted Tsarukyan’s close friend and training partner, Khamzat Chimaev.
At the press conference, Danis was asked to explain what shirt he was wearing.
“It says Khamzat is my bitch and it has a picture of her without a beard,” Danis said.
Tsarukyan had heard enough.
The 29-year-old immediately stood up, walked across the stage and threw himself at Danis. Tsarukyan hit his intended target and appeared to yell at the security guard instead, which opened the floodgates for all their respective teams to storm the stage.
From there, all hell broke loose.
Fighters, trainers and security traded jabs and punches as the press conference descended into utter chaos. The event was essentially destroyed while officials tried desperately to separate the two camps.
Tsarukyan and Danis are set to wrestle for the inaugural RAF Middleweight Crossover Championship. RAF 14 main event tomorrow night (Friday, October 23, 2026) at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chimaev will fight former UFC lightweight champion Robbie Lawler in the main event.
Danis also has a long history with Chimaev.
Yet Tsarukyan took the bait like a starving fish.
The Armenian has developed a rather hot-headed reputation. He punched a fan during the UFC 300 exitearning a nine-month suspension and a $25,000 fine from the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Tsarukyan later scored a header Dan Hooker during a confrontation – breaking a New Zealander’s nose –before starting another team-wide brawl attacking George Poulas after their RAF 6 wrestling match.
Those incidents, along with Tsarukyan pulling out of his UFC 311 title fight against Islam Makhatchov one day before the event, left White “not thrilled” with his top lightweight contender. White later confirmed that Tsarukyan’s behavior played a role in delaying another championship opportunity.
Tsarukyan revealed earlier Thursday that the UFC has promised him a lightweight title fight early next year.
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