Arman Tsarukyan defeated Georgio Poullas 5-3 in the co-main event of RAF 6 but sparked a post-match brawl by tackling and punching his opponent. The altercation involved both fighters' corners and required security intervention to restore order. Poullas, who was taken to a hospital in a neck brace, later called Tsarukyan a 'little b*tch' in a social media statement.
The incident occurred on February 28, 2026, at RAF 6 in Tempe, Arizona, during a freestyle wrestling match between UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan and Georgio Poullas. Tensions escalated during the bout, with both fighters exchanging slaps and pushes instead of focusing on wrestling techniques. Tsarukyan's corner protested Poullas' actions, including head slaps and punches, and the referee intervened after a shove. After two rounds, Tsarukyan led 4-1, and he ultimately won 5-3 despite Poullas scoring points in the third round and attempting a late takedown.
As the final buzzer sounded, Tsarukyan rushed Poullas, shoving him to the ground and landing punches, which ignited a melee involving team members from both sides. Security took several minutes to separate the fighters and clear the mats, with Poullas claiming he was outnumbered by about 12 of Tsarukyan's supporters. Poullas' family, including his 62-year-old father and brothers, joined the fray to defend him. Poullas was transported to a local hospital for treatment and spoke from an ambulance while wearing a neck brace.
"Unfortunately, I was jumped," Poullas said in a video statement. "But as you guys saw, my 62-year-old dad and both my brothers came to my rescue. That's the way we were brought up -- to fight for each other no matter what. We were outnumbered by like 12 Armenians... To Arman, you're a little b*tch. And by the way, if you guys watch the match, I'm the only one that got a takedown. He got a push out and a couple of penalty points. I'm still the champ, baby."
Tsarukyan responded on social media with, "F*ck around and find out." This marks another controversial moment for Tsarukyan, who has faced suspensions and criticism for past altercations, including punching a fan at UFC 300 and headbutting Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar weigh-ins.
RAF executives Eric Bischoff and Chad Bronstein expressed disappointment at a post-event press conference. "I was disappointed, because there's so much other great stuff about Real American Freestyle," Bischoff said. Bronstein emphasized the promotion's family-friendly image and stated they would review protocols to prevent future incidents. As of March 1, 2026, no updates were available on the fighters' RAF status.
The event was headlined by Henry Cejudo's technical fall victory over Urijah Faber in the third round, followed by an announcement of Cejudo's next fight against Merab Dvalishvili on April 18. Cejudo later advised Poullas that such behavior might lead to disqualifications in other promotions. Dvalishvili called for a rematch and urged the fighters to shake hands.