Arman Tsarukyan was issued a nine-month suspension with a chance to have that reduced to six months after he got into an altercation with a fan at UFC 300.
On Tuesday, the Nevada State Athletic Commission approved an adjudication agreement with Tsarukyan suspended until Jan. 12, 2025 and he faces a $25,000 fine along with $471.12 in prosecution fees that must be paid.
As a result of the altercation back in April, Tsarukyan’s purse was withheld but once the fine is pulled out of his paycheck, the remaining funds will be released to him in accordance with the agreement he made with the commission. The incident occurred as Tsarukyan was walking to the cage for his fight against Charles Oliveira when he got physical with a fan shouting at him from the crowd.
“He showed me ‘F*ck you’ and he wanted to punch me and I wanted to punch him back,” Tsarukyan said after the event. “That’s it. So guys, no one show me ‘F*ck you.’ It doesn’t matter who you are, I’m going to punch you in the face.”
Arman Tsarukyan has been suspended 9 months for punching a fan at #UFC300 during his walkout.
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) June 25, 2024
On top of it he will be fined $25k.
If he does an anti-bullying PSA video his suspension will be reduced to 6 months.
pic.twitter.com/sCXQds1jcE
Obviously, the nine-month suspension would prevent Tsarukyan from fighting again in 2024, which could be disastrous considering he’s been rumored for a lightweight title bout against Islam Makhachev with all signs pointing towards the UFC event in Abu Dhabi in October.
The good news is Tsarukyan can have his suspension reduced to six months — and that would expire by Oct. 13 with the UFC event scheduled on Oct. 26 — as long as the 27-year-old lightweight completes an approved anti-bullying message for the commission.
The commission voted unanimously to approve the measure and it seems highly likely that Tsarukyan will complete the anti-bullying message that reduces his suspension to six months, which would then allow him to compete in October if that’s the date the UFC wants for his potential matchup against Makhachev.
Before closing the proceedings, Nevada State Athletic Commission chairman Dallas Haun issued a warning that Tsarukyan’s adjudication agreement is a “one-time offer” and anyone else getting involved in an altercation with a fan “will be dealt with much more severely.”
