Arman Tsarukyan doesn’t do quiet build-ups. Even when he steps onto a wrestling mat rather than the Octagon, there’s always a little edge—a spark. And, ahead of his return to Real American Freestyle, that spark came in the shape of $5,000 and a scale joke.

While waiting for clarity on his next MMA move, the UFC lightweight contender is staying sharp at RAF 6 in Tempe, Arizona, this weekend. Georgio Poullas, a Division I wrestler at Cleveland State University who gained popularity through his viral $1,000 takedown challenge, will be his opponent this time around. His challenge? Beat him to the mat and win cash. So far, nobody has collected it. However, this time, he was the one getting an offer.

Arman Tsarukyan offers Georgio Poullas money to cheat

During a light-hearted exchange in the lobby, the UFC star offered Poullas $5,000 to compete at open weight and skip the cut rather than fight at their agreed 185-pound limit.

“You want 5K?” Arman Tsarukyan offered Poullas. “I’ll get you 5K and don’t even show my weight. Deal?”

“5K to just weigh in at whatever?” Poullas replied.

“I’ll get you 5K,” Tsarukyan reiterated. “Whatever my weight is now.”

Georgio Poullas then asked what he currently weighed. Tsarukyan lifted his T-shirt to assure the Division I athlete it wasn’t too excessive.

“Who gives a f—? You can see like this,” the lightweight star said. “Bro, I’m like, maximum 178 pounds.”

Poullas laughed off the offer and kept walking, while Tsarukyan seemed to know the kid wouldn’t budge. It was a playful exchange, but there’s often another layer with “Ahalkalakets.” He’s coming off a convincing technical fall victory over Lance Palmer at RAF 5, and this isn’t a vacation appearance. Georgio Poullas, for his part, refuses to back down.

“The $1,000 was on the line last match,” Poullas asserted. “It’ll be on the line this match.”

That confidence is part of what makes the matchup really exciting. Poullas may not have the international MMA spotlight Arman Tsarukyan has, but he is energetic, confident, and very comfortable in this setting. He even admitted he wasn’t that familiar with Tsarukyan before this opportunity, and now, he knows exactly what he’s up against.

So, the banter may be fun, and the $5,000 joke might stay a joke. But once they hit the mat, pride will be worth more than any cash bonus.

While the banter with Poullas is lighthearted, Tsarukyan has a history of letting things get heated, most notably in his altercation with Dan Hooker ahead of UFC Qatar. Tsarukyan delivered a headbutt that not only heated up the rivalry but also cost him the title shot that should’ve followed. Now, it looks like the Armenian learned his lesson. And if he hadn’t, Georgio Poullas was ready to fight back.

Poullas’ words of caution for ‘Ahalkalakets’

That playful energy works—until it doesn’t. Arman Tsarukyan knows that better than most. The headbutt against Dan Hooker before UFC Qatar didn’t just make headlines; it cost him momentum and, many believe, a much-needed title opportunity.

Add in the illegal knee during a grappling match later that year, and suddenly the line between intensity and recklessness started to blur. Poullas has not missed any of this. And, while he enjoys joking around, he has made it clear that he is not getting onto the mat to be anyone’s highlight reel or punching bag.

“I got a lot of comments, people saying stuff (about) that,” Poullas told Parry Punch. “This is what I’ll say: if he gets chippy with me, I’m gonna hand it right back to him.

“I don’t play that s—. If he wants to slap me, I’mma punch him in the face. I don’t take s— from nobody. If he wants to start playing dirty, man, I’ll play dirty right back.”

That isn’t trash talk. That is a boundary. Arman Tsarukyan may have learned that every move has consequences, especially with the UFC watching closely. But what if he hasn’t? Georgio Poullas sounds more than ready to remind him in real time.