Arman Tsarukyan’s trip to Philadelphia turned into a mess before he even got close to RAF 8.
The UFC lightweight contender was removed from an American Airlines flight out of Los Angeles while traveling to Philadelphia for his co-main event match with Urijah Faber at RAF 8. The incident pushed him back into the headlines outside the cage, just days after his Ryan Garcia betting drama and his latest pound-for-pound bump.
After video of Tsarukyan being escorted off the plane started circulating, American Airlines explained what happened. The airline said:
“On April 16, American Airlines flight 513 returned to the gate at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for customers who refused to follow federal regulations.”
The company added:
“Safety is our top priority and we expect our customers to comply with crew member instructions while on board our aircraft, which include staying seated while the aircraft is taxiing.”
The statement also cleared up the first wave of speculation around the clip. The issue was reportedly not a phone violation. It involved Tsarukyan and the people with him standing in the aisle while the plane was taxiing and refusing to return to their assigned seats. The flight went back to the gate, and four passengers, including Tsarukyan, were removed before the plane later left for Philadelphia.
Tsarukyan still made it to another plane
After the removal, Tsarukyan posted video of himself boarding another flight and wrote:
“kicked off commercial, I guess private it is.”
He then said on camera:
“I hope they’re not going to kick me out from this plane. OK guys, I’ll be five hours in Philadelphia.”
Tsarukyan has stayed active both in competition and in the news cycle. RAF has already booked him in matches against names like Lance Palmer and Georgio Poullas, and now he is set to face Faber in another high-profile appearance outside the UFC.
At 28, Tsarukyan remains a serious figure at lightweight. He owns major wins, has stayed close to the title picture, and still draws attention whenever his name hits a card or a headline.
Watch the plane clip below:
New footage shows Arman Tsarukyan arguing with the flight attendant before getting kicked off the flight 😬 https://t.co/gLvUVzVbHW pic.twitter.com/9VCSC1lv6Z
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 17, 2026
Watch Tsarukyan’s Instagram response below:
If he gets to Philadelphia and handles business, this becomes a strange travel detour before another payday. If not, it is the part everybody will remember from the week.
