Arman Tsarukyan's victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 was marked not only by his performance inside the octagon but also by a controversial incident during his walkout.
While his clash with Oliveira was the main event, Tsarukyan's scuffle with a fan added another layer of drama to the night.
The lead-up to the Tsarukyan vs. Oliveira bout was filled with contrasting narratives. While Tsarukyan maintained a reserved demeanor in press conferences, Oliveira was vocal with his trash talk, adding intensity to the matchup.
Tsarukyan, aiming to solidify his contender status, entered the UFC 300 arena on a three-fight win streak, hoping to secure a victory over Oliveira that would propel him toward a title shot. However, before the fight even began, Tsarukyan found himself in a physical altercation — not with a fellow fighter, but with a fan.
During his walkout, an incident occurred between Tsarukyan and a fan, initially unnoticed by the ESPN+ broadcast team. Commentators Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan briefly mentioned the scuffle, describing Tsarukyan as having "gotten into it" with a fan on his way to the octagon.
Arman Tsarukyan Punched a fan walking out lol… Dude has bad angerrr lol pic.twitter.com/KLhOuZFgzY
— #LEARLOCKS (@LEARLOCKS) April 14, 2024
Subsequently, a video circulated on social media capturing the altercation. In the footage, Tsarukyan, amidst giving high-fives to fans, appears to react to the fan's actions by delivering a punch before being redirected toward the octagon by those nearby.
Another angle of Arman Tsarukyan punching a fan on his way to the cage 😳#UFC300 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/LT9HRF9a5Z
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 14, 2024
As the match unfolded, Tsarukyan secured a controversial split-decision victory, prompting boos from the audience. After the fight, he addressed the altercation with reporters, stating, "[The fan] showed me 'f*** you,' and wanted to punch me. And I wanted to punch him back. That's it."
Tsarukyan's reaction stirred debate online, with many questioning the appropriateness of his response. Nevertheless, the Russian fighter remained unapologetic, asserting, "It doesn't matter who you are, I'm going to punch you in the face. I'm from Russia. Don't do that, please. Or I'm going to go to prison in the US."
Following his UFC 300 win, Tsarukyan wasted no time in setting his sights on the lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev. Makhachev responded to Tsarukyan's callout on social media, indicating a future matchup. When asked about Makhachev's response, Tsarukyan simply replied, "See you soon, boy," signaling his readiness for the anticipated showdown.