Arman Tsarukyan has landed on everybody’s radar after a huge brawl broke out at the RAF 6 event. The UFC lightweight star punched his opponent, Georgio Poullas, after winning their freestyle wrestling match, raising questions about his temper. But was he really at fault? A new clip appears to show what might have provoked him.

“Did Giorgio Poullas intentionally provoke Arman Tsarukyan here?” Full Mount MMA posted footage on X, which seems to show Poullas attempting to eye poke the Armenian during a wrestling exchange.

In freestyle wrestling, poking an opponent in the eye is a strict violation, whether it’s in the RAF or the conventional Freestyle competition. So, Arman Tsarukyan getting eye poked was one factor that escalated tensions. Beyond that, another clip circulating on social media appears to show Poullas slapping ‘Ahalkalakets’ during the match. Both acts show a clear provocative action against Tsarukyan.

As seen in the footage, there were several potential fouls during the clash. Even before things escalated into a full-fledged brawl, their rivalry hinted at an ugly confrontation where rules risked being pushed aside. Still, former two-division champion Henry Cejudo, who headlined the event against Urijah Faber, believes both competitors would have faced disqualification under the standard freestyle rules.

“I’m just gonna tell you the truth in front of your dad, and correct me if I’m wrong,” Cejudo told Poullas. “You’re getting away with that because it’s Real American Freestyle. If it were regular freestyle, they’d disqualify you and him,” ‘Triple C’ added.

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That’s true. As the former Olympian pointed out, the RAF 6 competitors would have received punishments for those violations without a second thought if it had been a conventional freestyle competition. But will they actually face consequences for the brawl? That we don’t know, though it’s likely the top brass may have issued a stern message, especially with the founders visibly disappointed by how things spiraled out of control.

Now, just as many believed the rivalry had cooled off, both fighters have traded verbal barbs once again, keeping their animosity very much alive.

Arman Tsarukyan and Georgio Poullas go back and forth once again

Following the official result at the RAF 6 event, fans got the sense that the rivalry between Arman Tsarukyan and Georgio Poullas wouldn’t fade anytime soon. Proving them right, the Ohio native fired fresh shots at the UFC lightweight, even calling himself the champion despite losing the match.

“To Arman, you’re a little b— and by the way, if you guys watched the match, I’m the only one that got a takedown,” Poullas said, according to MMA Fighting. “He got a pushout and a couple penalty points. I’m still the champ, baby,” he added.

However, viewers saw Tsarukyan secure a clear 5–3 victory, a result his opponent clearly disputes. That’s why after Poullas’ remarks, the Armenian MMA star wasn’t going to stay silent either, as he took to social media to fire back.

“F— around and find out,” Tsarukyan wrote on X while replying to the 27-year-old’s comments.

With that exchange, both fighters now appear to be on a collision course once again, potentially setting the stage for a rematch under the RAF banner. That said, will the promotion revisit the matchup? Or steer clear of it due to security concerns? What do you think should happen next? Let us know in the comments section below.