Arman Tsarukyan is becoming known for his antics outside of the Octagon.
The UFC lightweight contender fell down the pecking order last 12 months as a consequence of aspects outside of the cage, in line with Dana White.
After Tsarukyan punched a fan at UFC 300, he withdrew from a title challenge against Islam Makhachev on a day’s notice and later headbutted Dan Hooker in the course of the UFC Qatar ceremonial weigh-ins.
Most recently, the Armenian got into it under the Real American Freestyle banner. Tsarukyan brawled with Georgio Poullas at RAF 6 at the tip of their match, resulting in more questions on how the UFC manages the hot-headed lightweight.
- THROWBACK: Max Holloway sent a public message to Dana White after beating a UFC legend: ‘Pay me!’
Brendan Schaub says Arman Tsarukyan is simply too beneficial for the UFC to ‘discipline’
Whether it’s to do with UFC matchups or during his grappling exploits away from the promotion, Tsarukyan seemingly cannot stay out of trouble.
The Real American Freestyle brawl was not his first controversy on the mats, as he also got here under fire for throwing a knee at Mehdi Baydulaev during their match last December.
But in terms of ‘disciplining’ the lightweight star and bringing him under control, Brendan Schaub thinks the UFC is in a predicament.
“How do you discipline Arman Tsarukyan? Go to the (lightweight) rankings,” Schaub said on his YouTube channel. “Who do you give him to discipline him? What are you gonna do?
“He gets the winner of Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira; he beats each of them… The one guy who has a shot to beat him is the champion, Ilia Topuria. Outside of that, he mops the ground with everybody.
“The UFC is in a little bit of a pickle here,” he continued. “He’s built his value. He’s built his exposure. That’s exactly what the UFC wants from guys… How do you discipline this guy? He’s too good.”
- LATEST NEWS: Ian Machado Garry says title fight delay proves Islam Makhachev doesn’t live by same ‘BMF’ mantra
What has the UFC told Arman Tsarukyan?
Prior to his latest incident, it could seem that Tsarukyan had finally overcome whatever punishment he was serving for his past actions.
Having been snubbed by the UFC when it got here to booking the interim lightweight title fight earlier this 12 months, Tsarukyan recently claimed to have been given a positive update about his probabilities of fighting for gold this 12 months.
“I already talked to Hunter (Campbell) a few weeks ago, we’ve got a few options,” Tsarukyan said on The Ariel Helwani Show.
“Like, title fights, like just (normal) fights; I don’t know, we’ll see the way it plays out. Any (title fight). 170 kilos, 145 kilos, 155 kilos. A fight for the 155-pound title (is probably the most appealing option they gave me), in like September or October, after Justin (fights for the title).
“It was a superb meeting. We at all times have good meetings. I’m at all times good with Hunter. They said keep doing what you’re doing,” he added.
That instruction from Campbell may not have applied to the form of antics Tsarukyan subsequently got as much as on the mats at RAF 6, and it stays to be seen whether that has further impacted the UFC’s plans.