Arman Tsarukyan has been issued a 9-month suspension (retroactive) and fined $25,000 (including $471.12 in fees) by the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) for his pre-fight incident with a fan at UFC 300 on April 12, 2024.
The NAC announced its ruling on Tuesday during a monthly board meeting.
His suspension is set to terminate 9 months from the date of the incident, which is January 12, 2025. The suspension could be reduced to 6 months if Tsarukyan issues an anti-bullying public service announcement approved by the commission, which would make him eligible to return to action on October 12, 2024.
At UFC 300 in Las Vegas, Tsarukyan was met with a middle finger by a fan during his walkout before his close split-decision victory against former champion Charles Oliveira. In response, Tsarukyan lunged at the fan in the crowd, which was captured on the broadcast from multiple cameras. In the post-fight press conference, Tsarukyan explained that the fan had directed expletives towards him. The fan later apologized for provoking Tsarukyan and said he wouldn’t take legal action for the punch.
The Commission said the incident “could have been catastrophic for everyone involved,” and that “this is a one-time offer. Repeat actions will be dealt with much more severely.”
Tsarukyan has yet to comment on the suspension.
The 27-year-old is currently on a four-fight winning streak and is regarded as the next title challenger, given his bout with Oliveira was labeled a “title eliminator” by the UFC. This could set him up for a title shot after the upcoming matchup between champ Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier on June 1, 2024, at UFC 302.
