Arman Tsarukyan is no stranger to chaos at press conferences, but this time he wasn’t the only one in the spotlight. During the RAF 08 press conference, things took a turn when a familiar name was dragged back into the conversation.
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Ahead of his clash with Urijah Faber, Arman Tsarukyan tried to keep things focused on the fight.
“Tomorrow, I’m gonna do like my movement,” he said.
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However, ‘The California Kid’ took it in a different direction.
“You gonna do like your woman?” he asked, forcing a rapid clarification from Arman Tsarukyan in case many others heard it as “women.”
However, the 47-year-old doubled down, bringing up the Armenian’s personal life, something that has already been a sensitive topic in recent weeks.
Urijah Faber to Arman Tsarukyan:
“I think the woman you pay to hang out with you is married by the way.” 😬
(via @Home_of_Fight) https://t.co/dWneFu3fEm pic.twitter.com/yCoyMxsrhP
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 17, 2026
“Oh, your woman,” Faber continued. “I think the woman you pay to hang out with you is married, by the way.”
‘Ahalkalakets’ didn’t ignore it. Instead, he fired back with a warning.
“Then you gotta do insurance today,” he said, before adding, “Because tomorrow you’re gonna hurt your neck. I don’t wanna pay for the surgery.”
The exchange was brief, but Nina-Marie Daniele still managed to find herself at the center of it once again. This isn’t the first time her name has come up during Arman Tsarukyan’s fight buildup. During his feud with Georgio Poullas at RAF07, lines were crossed as well.
“You give me a date with your girlfriend Nina (Drama), and I’ll give you the $10k,” Poullas said.
Arman Tsarukyan and Nina Drama have frequently been linked in a way that has sparked interest online, despite the fact that both have stated that it is all just content and humor. However, this hasn’t stopped others from bringing it up.
For ‘Ahalkalakets,’ it’s becoming a pattern. No matter the opponent, the fight build-up somehow finds its way back to the same place. And to make things worse, the Armenian has somehow found a way to get kicked off a flight as well.
Arman Tsarukyan off his flight to RAF 08
That pattern of unwanted attention didn’t stop at the press conference for Arman Tsarukyan. Another incident that added to the noise this week came even before he arrived in Philadelphia.
‘Ahalkalakets’ was reportedly removed from an American Airlines flight flying from Los Angeles, with initial reports claiming it had to do with phone usage during takeoff.
But the airline later clarified that the reason was something else.
“On April 16, American Airlines flight 513 returned to the gate at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for customers who refused to follow federal regulations,” American Airlines officials told MMA Fighting.
According to the airline, Arman Tsarukyan and his group were standing in the aisle while the plane was taxiing and refused to return to their seats despite repeated instructions. The situation escalated enough that the aircraft was forced to return to the gate, ending his journey before it even began.
And while the Armenian hasn’t explained his side of the story, he did let his feelings be known on social media.
“Got kicked off the flight,” he wrote on social media.
Alongside the picture, he also shared a laughing emoji and a middle finger emoji, directed at American Airlines.
This was followed by another image where Arman Tsarukyan posted a photo of one of the staff.
“Rude and unprofessional,” he wrote in the caption.
Not done with the digs just yet, Arman Tsarukyan then shared a video of himself boarding a private jet that finally took him to Philadelphia.
“I hope they’re not gonna kick me off of this plane,” Tsarukyan shared in the caption.
Well, it seems like no matter the setting, whether at a press conference or on a flight, the focus just keeps on shifting. As RAF 08 approaches, the fight itself almost feels like the only thing not making headlines.
Written by
Edited by
Deepali Verma