American Airlines issues statement on Arman Tsarukyan flight removal after viral incident

American Airlines officials issued a statement on Arman Tsarukyan’s removal on Thursday from a plane headed to Philadelphia.

UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan ran into some problems outside of the cage earlier this week as he was on the way to headline Real American Freestyle 08 in Philadelphia.

Tsarukyan will face UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber in the RAF 08 main event this weekend. After recent wins over Georgio Poullas and Lance Palmer, Tsarukyan will look to remain undefeated in his promotional tenure.

As Tsarukyan and his team departed Los Angeles, he was removed from an American Airlines flight, as Russian MMA journalist Adam Zubayraev reported. Zubayraev claimed Tsarukyan was removed after looking at his phone during the flight’s preparations for takeoff.

American Airlines issues statement after new footage of Arman Tsarukyan removal leaks

In a recent statement sent to MMA Fighting, American Airlines shared its side of the story regarding Tsarukyan’s removal.

New footage shows Arman Tsarukyan arguing with the flight attendant before getting kicked off the flight 😬 https://t.co/gLvUVzVbHW pic.twitter.com/9VCSC1lv6Z

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 17, 2026

“On April 16th, American Airlines Flight 513 returned to the gate at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for customers who refused to follow federal regulations,” the airline said of Tsarukyan’s removal.

“Safety is our top priority, and we expect our customers to comply with crew member instructions while on board our aircraft, which include staying seated while the aircraft is taxiing.”

Luckily, Tsarukyan was able to get to Philadelphia in time for RAF 08 this weekend. He hasn’t fought in the UFC Octagon since a finish over Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar last year.

Tsarukyan is expected to face the Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje winner in his latest chance at a lightweight championship. Depending on where his comeback fight takes place, Tsarukyan might hesitate to fly on American Airlines moving forward.

Does Arman Tsarukyan deserve the next UFC lightweight title shot? Let us know your thoughts in the comments