Robbie Lawler Demands Accountability From Competitors After RAF 14 Brawl
After Arman Tsarukyan and Dillon Danis' confrontation heated things at RAF 14, Robbie Lawler has revealed his perspective on the melee.
Arman Tsarukyan takes on Dillon Danis in a wrestling bout at RAF 14 on Saturday. But their rivalry already seems to have taken a violent turn after a near-physical altercation broke out at Thursday's press conference.
Dillon Danis appeared on the media day wearing a T-shirt that read “Khamzat is my b*tch" and featured a photo of Khamzat Chimaev without a beard. That ridicule clearly hit a personal nerve for Tsarukyan, who wasted no time in charging towards his opponent.
As the brawl unfolded, Robbie Lawler's RAF 14 opponent, Khamzat Chimaev, also got involved before the security finally intervened. Lawler, however, wasn't exactly impressed by this saga.
Robbie Lawler Reacts To RAF 14 Fracas
The former UFC Welterweight Champion may have witnessed it all up close, but he is intent on staying well out of the drama.
“It is what it is. It’s just, I’m here to wrestle and compete. I’m just keeping my life simple and I’m not trying to get involved in any of that nonsense," he told MMA Fighting.
Lawler further clarified what combat sports truly needed. As he noted, fight hype doesn't always equal quality. Rather, it is up to the fighters to deliver performances at the highest level and help the sport reach new heights.
“It’s just, you want to put your best foot forward and a lot of kids are watching this, guys who are excited about wrestling. It’s not always about the show and it’s not about the eyes. It’s about freaking having this sport be built and taking it to another level.
“And I just think we need to do a better job as competitors.”
However, this is hardly the first time Arman Tsarukyan has drawn eyeballs with his pre-fight antics.
Arman Tsarukyan Continues a Pattern of Altercations
The No. 1 UFC lightweight contender recently cemented a title shot after an impressive TKO win over Mauricio Ruffy. But that didn't come without a scene.
As Ruffy gestured towards Tsarukyan's face with his arms stretched in a fighting stance, 'Batman' felt his space being threatened. The Armenian quickly shoved his opponent as their ceremonial face-offs got heated. While Dana White and the security stepped in, it points to a consistent pattern in Arman Tsarukyan's antics.
In a previous face-off, Batman had headbutted Dan Hooker before securing a submission victory. Before that, Tsarukyan had punched a fan who flipped him the middle finger during his UFC 300 walkout.
While that action bore its consequences with a suspension and a $25,000 fine, the lightweight contender also grabbed a decision victory over Charles Oliveira. Clearly, the Armenian menace approaches his fights with unapologetic confidence. But whether that is sabotaging both his and the sport's credibility remains to be questioned.
