Less than 24 hours after it was first announced, Georgio Poullas has bowed out of a submission grappling match that was scheduled against Arman Tsarukyan.
Poullas, instead, is pushing for a wrestling rematch with Tsarukyan at an upcoming RAF event.
Georgio Poullas is withdrawing from next week’s submission match versus Arman Tsarukyan, per RAF co-founder Chad Bronstein. His preference is the rematch happens under the RAF banner.
During an interview with Helwani earlier in the day, Poullas noted that a contract had not been formally signed for the grappling match with Hype FC Brazil.
Tsarukyan won the contest at RAF 6 on February 28, scoring a 5-3 win. But the story from that event took place immediately after the match, when an altercation between the two broke out.
Tsarukyan shoved Poullas down and looked to throw down punches before RAF officials intervened to separate the pair. Tsarukyan has claimed that it was in retaliation to dirty tactics employed by Poullas during the bout, including punches and slaps while in close.
Video footage showed Tsarukyan’s corner crying foul at Poullas’ actions.
RAF officials have expressed disappointment that the brawl occrued; however, the promotion has not handed down any punishment toward Tsarukyan or Poullas as of press time.
Just days after their heated encounter at RAF 6, Arman Tsarukyan and Georgio Poullas are set to run it back. The rematch has been officially announced for Hype FC’s event on March 11 at the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The two will meet in a 10-minute, submission-only grappling match — a format that raises the stakes considerably from their decision-based wrestling bout earlier this week.
Tsarukyan defeated Poullas by decision at RAF 6 on February 28 at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona. The match ended in chaos, however, when Tsarukyan tackled Poullas after the final buzzer, igniting a backstage brawl that had to be broken up by security and both fighters’ teams. Poullas later claimed he was jumped “by like 12 Armenians” in the aftermath.
The Hype FC Brazil card is shaping up to be a major event. Jorge Masvidal is also set to make his return on the same night, and Jean Silva is additionally booked for a submission-only match on the card, though his opponent has yet to be announced.
Despite the post-match fireworks, Tsarukyan remains in good standing with UFC brass. The Armenian lightweight has reportedly had encouraging conversations with UFC executive Hunter Campbell, with a potential lightweight title shot — or a matchup against the winner of the Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira BMF bout — possibly on the horizon in 2026.
Arman Tsarukyan has no regrets about the events of his wrestling match and brawl with Georgio Poullas at RAF 6, and he feels many, including the UFC, are on his side.
Tsarukyan won the contest 5-3 at the event on February 28 at the Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona. But the bigger story at hand came in the aftermath, with Tsarukyan and Poullas needing to be separated after a physical altercation following the final whistle.
Though Tsarukyan started the post-fight kerfuffle with a shove, it was in response to dirty tactics implemented by Poullas during the bout.
Now, in an interview with Ariel Helwani, Tsarukyan opened up about the experience, feeling he was patient during the match as much as possible — but that no one could stand for what Poullas did.
“This is not my fault,” Tsarukyan said. “Everybody is on my side now. I was waiting like six minutes. He was like punching me for six minutes. What do you want me to wait for me? Bro, if someone punches you — everybody is different, what are you going to do if somebody punches you 20 times? You’re not going to let him do that.”
Video footage from the matchup saw Poullas landing punches and slaps on Tsarukyan, prompting cries of foul play from Tsarukyan’s team but no true intervention from the match’s referee.
Tsarukyan shoved Poullas to the mat and appeared to be ready to employ some MMA ground-and-pound before the corners and officials intervened.
“Maybe 20 times, he’s trying to poke eyes, break my fingers,” Tsarukyan said. “I thought he was going to wrestle, but when he started punching, I said, ‘Okay, this guy wants to fight, and cancel the fight, do dirty wrestling. I was waiting on wrestling [to be] done, and [at] that moment, I wanted to punch him right away.
“I won the wrestling and I heard the whistle, and I said, ‘Okay, now it’s time’ because I got the victory.”
This controversy is not the first that Tsarukyan has been involved in over the past couple of years, and the result has seemed to be ire from the UFC directed at him.
Tsarukyan was suspended following an altercation with a fan during his walkout at UFC 300, which saw him defeat Charles Oliveira. Tsarukyan withdrew from a lightweight title fight with Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 just one day before the event. He then irked many in the MMA community by headbutting Dan Hooker in the ceremonial weigh-ins before their UFC Qatar headliner.
Some feel that Tsarukyan is digging a deeper hole for himself and his UFC career with this latest spotlight, and they feel he may have solidified never getting another title opportunity.
But Tsarukyan feels the UFC will be pleased with him not letting a wrestler, someone who is not a UFC fighter, get the better of him.
“It’s the opposite. They are going to be happy that a UFC fighter don’t let somebody to beat up a UFC fighter. UFC fighter goes to freestyle wrestling and beat the freestyle wrestler and to show what’s the level of UFC.”
RAF officials have expressed disappointment in the brawl, but the promotion has not disciplined either man as of press time.
Georgio Poullas took to social media to send a message to his fans, RAF fans, and RAF 6 opponent Arman Tsarukyan after their chaotic post-match brawl.
Tsarukyan took a 5-3 victory over Poullas, but the real story came after the match when Tsarukyan shoved Poullas down and looked to throw strikes at him. The corners of both men and officials quickly intervened to separate the two.
Footage from the match appeared to show Poullas employing dirty tactics during the match, namely slaps, to the protest of Tsarukyan’s team.
In a statement from the back of an ambulance, Poullas credited his family for being on his side despite being outnumbered during the aftermath. He also felt like the true winner of the matchup, claiming to have scored the only true takedown.
Georgio Poullas speaks for the first time following the Arman Tsarukyan brawl:
"Unfortunately I was jumped… Arman you're a little b*tch. And by the way, I'm the only one that got a takedown. I'm still the champ baby." 😳 pic.twitter.com/s9W7beA6vi
“Unfortunately, I was jumped,” Poullas said. “But as you guys saw, my 62-year-old dad and both of my brothers came to my rescue. That’s the way we were brought up — to fight for each other no matter what.
“To Arman, you’re a little b****. And by the way, if you guys watch the match, I’m the only one that got a takedown. He got pushed out and a couple of penalty points. I’m still the champ, baby.”
Tsarukyan has been in the spotlight of controversy several times over the past couple of years. He was suspended following an altercation with a fan at UFC 300, lost a UFC lightweight title shot after pulling out with injury one day before UFC 311, and earned plenty of criticism for getting physical with Dan Hooker during the UFC Qatar ceremonial weigh-ins.
Tsarukyan made his RAF debut at RAF 5 in January, defeating Lance Palmer. Poullas also made his RAF debut on that card, defeating Keelon Jimison.
Following the event, RAF executives Eric Bischoff and Chad Bronstein assured that RAF is a family-friendly product and said they would review protocols to ensure preventative measures for another situation like this.
As of press time, there is no update on the RAF status of Tsarukyan or Poullas.
While his UFC career did not end in the greatest of success, Henry Cejudo showed why he’s been one of the greatest wrestlers in the discipline, scoring an 11-0 technical fall win over Urijah Faber in the RAF 6 main event.
Cejudo did not let Faber into the contest for a moment, as he ankle picked his fellow UFC alumnus and took over from there. Cejudo used several takedowns during the contest to rack up points. While Faber would try to use his grappling defense, it wasn’t enough.
Cejudo scored 11 points before Faber could even get on the board, resulting in a dominant technical fall win for the former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion.
— Real American Freestyle (@RAFWrestlingUSA) March 1, 2026
Henry Cejudo Faces Off With Merab Dvalishvili After Win Over Urijah Faber At RAF 6
Following his victory, Cejudo called out fellow former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili.
Cejudo made the challenge to be Dvalishvili’s first RAF opponent after his recent signing. Dvalishvili accepted the match, with the two being booked to headline RAF 8 in Philadelphia this April.
— Real American Freestyle (@RAFWrestlingUSA) March 1, 2026
“Merab Dvalishvili, you’re next!” Cejudo said. “You didn’t beat me! April in Philly, I’m going to spank you, Merab. Sign the contract. I’m going to make you bend the knee!”
Cejudo and Dvalishvili faced off at UFC 298 in February 2024, with Dvalishvili winning before going on to capture the UFC bantamweight title later that year.
Colby Covington has always been one to ruffle feathers and stir up drama, but his mic time at RAF 6 has left some of his fellow competitors unimpressed.
Covington was at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona, for the RAF 6 event and took to the mic to ask the crowd who they’d like to see him face off with next.
Covington polled the crowd on three potential names — Arman Tsarukyan, Kamaru Usman, and Georges St Pierre.
Colby Covington calls out Arman Tsarukyan, Kamaru Usman, and Georges St-Pierre for wrestling matches at RAF 06 pic.twitter.com/CHWXO0EpFE
“I’ve got a couple of names in mind,” Covington said. “How about that little spoiled brat from Armenia, Arman Tsarukyan? What about the trilogy with Marty FakeNewsman? I beat him last time we were in Madison Square Garden. Come to the Real American Freestyle mat, I’m going to beat you here, Marty.
“And then I got one more name, because there’s nothing more like as an American than beating those Canadians’ a**. Georges St Pierre, where you at?”
Colby Covington Makes RAF Callouts, Bo Nickal and Khamzat Chimaev Call Him Out
Even though Covington did not refer to competing next in the Octagon, his comments at the RAF event sparked responses from some of his fellow UFC stars.
One of those names is Bo Nickal, who has expressed a desire to compete against Covington on the UFC White House card in June.
Nickal claims the former interim welterweight champion is using RAF to avoid facing off with him in a battle of former NCAA Division-I All-Americans in the Octagon.
Colby the clown running scared. He doesn’t want me to embarrass him at the White House. Man up brother let’s do it. https://t.co/JiqK1KpY6k
“Colby the clown running scared,” Nickal posted on social media. “He doesn’t want me to embarrass him at the White House. Man up, brother, let’s do it.”
The promo from Covington also brought out a response from UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, who expressed openness in having a showdown with Covington on the wrestling mats.
Next RAF I will make American boy humble again colbiclown let’s go 🦾😂
“Next RAF, I will make American boy humble again,” Chimaev posted. “Colbiclown let’s go.”
When asked if he is injured, Chimaev clarified that he is just waiting to figure out a date for a UFC middleweight title defense against Sean Strickland.
Covington made his RAF debut at RAF 5 in January, defeating Luke Rockhold.
UFC lightweight Arman Tsarukyan finds himself in the controversial spotlight again following a post-fight brawl that erupted between him and RAF 6 opponent Georgio Poullas.
Tsarukyan defeated Poullas 5-3 in a close and competitive battle with plenty of tension. Tsarukyan wasn’t finished after the final whistle, however.
Tsarukyan shoved Poullas down and began to throw punches in an MMA-style ground-and-pound attack. The referee, fight officials, and both corners quickly intervened to separate the two.
ARMAN TSARUKYAN ATTACKED GEORGIO POULLAS AFTER THEIR MATCH!!!
Tsarukyan’s attack appeared to come as revenge for dirty tactics employed by Poullas during the match. Footage from the match shows Poullas slapping the back of Tsarukyan’s head and throwing punches.
In one video, Tsarukyan’s team can be heard yelling in protest over Poullas’ actions.
You could hear members of Arman’s Tsarukyan’s team yelling at Georgio Poullas for throwing punches during the match at RAF 06.
“What the f**k is that, I’m gonna knock this fool out bro. I’m gonna f**k this fool up bro” pic.twitter.com/1DM3BsN2Sy
Tsarukyan has seemed to clash with the UFC over the past couple of years for a number of controversies.
He was suspended following his win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 following an altercation with a fan during his entrance. Tsarukyan withdrew from a scheduled lightweight title fight with Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 just one day before the event, and he hasn’t received a title shot since. Tsarukyan also got physical with Dan Hooker during the UFC Qatar ceremonial weigh-ins back in November.
This marked Tsarukyan’s RAF debut. Poullas, meanwhile, competed at RAF 5 in January, scoring a technical fall over Keelon Jimison.
