When fig͏h͏ters ͏s͏how signs of in͏s͏tability, it͏’͏s crucial to address the͏ situation p͏rom͏ptly. This is espec͏ially͏ true ͏in ca͏s͏es like Arman Tsaru͏k͏yan’s recent behavior toward fans. To ensure the safety and we͏ll-be͏ing of both fans and th͏e promotion, the UFC has taken proactive measures.͏ Following the contr͏overs͏y at UFC 300,͏ the ͏orga͏nization has hired a bo͏dygu͏a͏rd for͏ Ts͏arukyan t͏o p͏r͏even͏t a͏ny fu͏rther incidents ͏an͏d protect͏ th͏e fans.

Well, in order to not face that same incident ever again, the promotion appears to have given a personal bodyguard for Arman Tsarukyan. The Armenian fighter took to his socials to announce that the promotion had assigned a bodyguard for him at UFC 308, “Because I scr-w up every now and then, the UFC gave me a personal security guard. Look at this machine! So that I never hit any fan again, he’s gonna protect me. You, brother, you are gonna protect me, right?” said Arman Tsarukyan.

͏Back͏ ͏͏a͏t UFC 30͏0, as Arman Tsa͏rukya͏n͏ ma͏de h͏is walkout to͏ fa͏ce Charles Olivei͏ra͏,͏ a f͏an ͏pu͏blicl͏y tau͏nte͏d͏ him. This͏ provocation͏ ͏irked the num͏͏͏b͏e͏r-one ͏t͏i͏tle cont͏ender, wh͏o ͏lung͏ed at the fan and threw a ͏few pu͏n͏c͏hes i͏n his dire͏ction.͏ T͏he i͏n͏cident ͏immediatel͏y ͏cause͏d a stir, res͏͏ult͏ing͏ in͏͏ Tsaru͏kyan fa͏cing f͏ine͏s and ͏͏a s͏u͏spensio͏n impos͏ed b͏y t͏he athletic͏ commiss͏ion.͏ Interes͏ting͏l͏y, ͏the promot͏i͏o͏n al͏so ͏faced criti͏c͏ism ͏fr͏o͏m th͏e͏ ͏communit͏y for fa͏ilin͏g͏͏͏ to ͏e͏ns͏ure ͏b͏͏et͏ter ͏protec͏t͏ion.

The fan, later identified as Obed Ardon, told Bloody Elbow, “I will not sue. That never crossed my mind. My first thought was I hope I don’t get kicked out.” He further added, “I’d like to apologize to Arman for provoking him by flipping him off… It was my first time attending a live UFC event, and it was absolutely incredible. I’m glad the incident wasn’t as bad as it could have been. I do want to make clear that I didn’t pull him towards me, yell out offensive words or anything of that nature. I flipped him off, nothing else. Congrats to Arman on a great performance and best of luck to him against whoever he fights for the title.”

The Armenian won his bout against Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 but his antic forced him to stay dormant as the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended him from fighting for 9 months along with a $25,000 fine. He could have reduced the sentence to 6 months if he made an anti-bullying PSA, but since his fight with Makhachev was not happening until after the suspension period anyway, he decided not to do it.

Regardless, his new video about the bodyguard has brought in a flurry of reactions from the MMA community.

Arman Tsarukyan’s bodyguard teases debate among fans

Being one of the best fighters in the division, Arman Tsarukyan knows how to win his matches but when it comes to interaction with the fans, he might be a little hot-headed as we have seen at UFC 300. “You can show me ‘F—’ from like 200 meters, I’m not going to punch you. But when you’re close to me, it’s, like automatically. I’m from Russia. Don’t do that please, or I’m going to go to prison in U.S,” Tsarukyan had said at the post-fight presser.

However, that doesn’t mean that he always misbehaves with the fans.  Looking at this a fan wrote, “Arman just a chill guy” referencing the ‘chill guy’ meme currently trending on social media.

Well, why did the UFC hire a bodyguard for Arman Tsarukyan in the first place? Well, that’s because of the fact that if any of the fighters did anything to the common folk then the entire promotion can be booked for negligence. Dana White was expecting to get sued after the incident. He told the media during the post-fight scrum, “These guys are all f—ing hyped up and whatever. I’m sure we’re probably going to get sued. Uh, we’ll deal with that on Monday too.”

It was good for Tsarukyan that the guy he assaulted never really sued him but if he had, then things would have been much more serious. Looking at this a fan wrote, “It’s funny seeing ufc fighters with body guards but id do the same lol.” 

Interestingly enough, Tsarukyan’s opponent Charles Oliveria had a fan grab his hands during the walkout at the same event. White responded saying, “You might not want to hang over the things and grab people when they’re walking out.” Oliveira is a fan-friendly fighter but there are others like Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili who don’t take disrespect lightly.

Furthermore, another fan stated that the bodyguard is actually protecting the common folks from the fighter, “they give him bodyguard to protect other people” Moreover, another fan stated the same thing, “He’s not protecting you bro he’s protecting the people from you.”

A social media user stated that the fans are gonna get two slaps now: one from Tsarukyan and one from his bodyguard, “Fans going to catch two slaps now.” Last but not least, another social media user thought the bodyguard was a chill guy, “Bodyguard seems like a chill guy.”

Arman Tsarukyan is expected to face Islam Makhachev in early 2025 because the lightweight champion was injured to make a 2024 return. Regardless, what’s your take on the situation? State your thoughts in the comments below.