RAF 6 in Tempe, Arizona, ended in chaos when Arman Tsarukyan stole the show, attacking opponent Georgo Poullas after their match was over.
The sound of the final buzzer set off the already aggravated fighter, who rushed Poullas, knocking him to the ground and landing punch after punch. A full-out brawl ensued involving people around the mats.
Tsarukyan RAF 6 Brawl
Tsatukyan had a 5-3 points victory in the match, but the closing moments escalated quickly.
Poullas attempted a last-second takedown in the third period. The shot was deflected, and Tsarukyan threw a punch while he was on top of Poullas after the clock ran out.
Both teams were triggered by the strike and rushed the mat. More than a dozen individuals entered the competition area. Officials and members of the staff worked together to restore order.
Colby Covington escorted Poullas backstage when things calmed down. The post-match brawl was the defining image of the event.
Top UFC lightweight contender, Tsarukyan, has a reputation for physical altercations outside the octagon. RAF chief media officer Eric Bischoff is a legend in the world of sports entertainment as the brains behind the rise and fall of WCW, and he admitted the brawl hit close to home.
During the chaotic brawl, Khamzat Chimaev could be seen smiling while watching the event play out. His reaction circulated in a video clip following the RAF 6 event at the Mullet Arena. The footage gained traction quickly among MMA fans.
Chimaev previously has shown public support for Tsarukyan, even going so far as to help him with a difficult weight cut to prepare for UFC Qatar.
Bischoff spoke of the incident: “First of all, I’ve already been accused on social media for actually creating that scene, because it looks so much like professional wrestling. But anybody that knows me has ever worked with me knows that I would never have let it go that long. It was just too long.
“Joking aside, I was disappointed, because there’s so much other great stuff about Real American Freestyle. I’m really proud of the entire team that worked pretty quick and pretty hard to put together a great package for Nate Carr and to surprise Nate and have David come out and put the Real American Legends championship belt on him. I thought that was such a cool moment, and that’s what I was looking forward to, were those kinds of cool moments.
RAF 6 Brawl Aftermath
“What happened tonight, yeah, it’s going to create controversy and the right kind of controversy managed properly can create cash, but it can also create backlash, too. So like Chad said, we’re just going to look through the tape, make a decision, and deal with it.”
RAF CEO Chad Bronstein reiterated the desire for his promotion to be recognized as more appealing than those of other organizations.
“I think it’s important on that point is that we pride ourselves on being a family-friendly combat sport. Obviously, we don’t go out and try to have these kinds of situations happen. We’re on six events, not even a blip, so it’s going to happen, unfortunately, but like Eric said, we’ve got to figure out how to make sure it doesn’t.”
Other Card Fights
RAF 6 was headlined by recently retired Henry Cejudo and UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber.
Next, Cejudo faces Merab Dvalishvili on April 18.
Sources:
mmafighting.com: RAF’s Eric Bischoff ‘disappointed’ by Arman Tsarujyan brawl at RAF
Bloody Elbow: Arman Tsarukyan’s opponent Georgio Poullas goads UFC star from
hitc.com: Khamzat Chimaev was all smiles watching Arman Tsarukyan’s brawl
Top Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons inFocus media – Creative Commons License
Featured Image Courtesy of JJonathan Brazil’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
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