Tsarukyan Charges at Danis, Sparking Chaos at RAF 14 Presser

WHO:

MMA Fighting - Robbie Lawler is a former UFC welterweight champion.

MMA Fighting - Robbie Lawler said he was present for the press-conference brawl and that Khamzat Chimaev, his opponent for the wrestling event’s co-main event, became involved.

TMZ - UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan and Dillon Danis were involved in a confrontation at a RAF 14 press conference.

TMZ - Danis displayed a T-shirt mocking Tsarukyan’s teammate, Khamzat Chimaev.

MMA Fighting - Tsarukyan, Danis, Chimaev, RAF officials, and dozens of other people were involved in or present during the incident.

MMA Fighting - Danis described himself as wearing a customized shirt featuring Tsarukyan’s teammate and friend Chimaev.

WHAT:

MMA Mania - New footage showed Khamzat Chimaev being restrained by about four people, described as a mix of RAF staff and civilians.

MMA Mania - While being restrained, Chimaev yelled at Dillon Danis, “You don’t know who is your daddy b—ch! I’ll f—k you up!”

MMA Fighting - Lawler said the incident stemmed from Chimaev and Danis’s post-match brawl at RAF 10.

MMA Fighting - Lawler said, “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.”

MMA Fighting - Lawler said athletes should act more professionally at events, adding, “a lot of kids are watching this,” and that the sport should be built and taken “to another level.”

TMZ - Tsarukyan lunged at Danis during the press conference, and the confrontation escalated into chaos.

MMA Fighting - After exchanging trash talk, Danis stood to show his shirt when asked what he was wearing.

MMA Fighting - The shirt featured Chimaev without a beard and the wording, “Khamzat’s my bitch.”

MMA Fighting - Tsarukyan stood and charged at Danis; dozens of people rushed toward the stage, resulting in a large brawl.

MMA Fighting - The melee nearly tore down the stage. Danis and Tsarukyan appeared to be seeking punches rather than takedowns.

MMA Fighting - After RAF officials regained control, the stage was cleared for the customary faceoffs. Tsarukyan and Danis did not appear again.

WHERE:

MMA Fighting - The press conference took place in Las Vegas.

MMA Fighting - The wrestling event was scheduled to take place at Fontainebleau in Las Vegas.

TMZ - The incident occurred at a news conference for RAF 14.

MMA Fighting - The brawl took place at the RAF 14 press conference and centered on the stage.

WHEN:

MMA Mania - Chimaev pinned Danis in 44 seconds during their RAF 10 match.

MMA Fighting - The article described Lawler and Chimaev’s wrestling event as scheduled for Friday.

WHY:

MMA Fighting - Lawler said he wanted to avoid getting involved in the confrontation and focus on wrestling and competing.

TMZ - Danis displayed a shirt mocking Tsarukyan’s teammate Chimaev before Tsarukyan lunged at him.

MMA Fighting - Tsarukyan charged after Danis revealed the insulting shirt; the article says Tsarukyan may have sought to silence Danis or remove the shirt.

HOW:

MMA Mania - The article said Tsarukyan and Danis were set to wrestle in the RAF 14 main event.

MMA Fighting - RAF officials attempted to control the melee and separate the fighters, then cleared the stage once they had regained control.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 17:24 UTC)

A press-conference brawl erupted at RAF 14 in Las Vegas after Dillon Danis displayed a shirt mocking Khamzat Chimaev, a teammate of Arman Tsarukyan. Tsarukyan charged at Danis, and dozens of people rushed toward the stage, turning the confrontation into a large melee that nearly tore it down. New footage shows Chimaev being held back by about four people as he shouted at Danis. RAF officials eventually regained control and cleared the stage, but Tsarukyan and Danis did not return for the customary faceoffs. Robbie Lawler, a former UFC welterweight champion who is set to wrestle Chimaev, said the clash stemmed from Chimaev and Danis’s post-match brawl at RAF 10, where Chimaev pinned Danis in 44 seconds. Lawler said he wanted to focus on competing, and urged athletes to act professionally because children are watching.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 14:22 UTC)

A press-conference brawl erupted at a RAF 14 event in Las Vegas after Dillon Danis showed a shirt mocking Khamzat Chimaev, teammate of UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan. The customized shirt pictured Chimaev without a beard and carried an insulting message. Tsarukyan stood and charged at Danis, and dozens of people rushed toward the stage, triggering a chaotic melee that nearly brought it down. RAF officials worked to separate people and regain control, then cleared the stage for faceoffs; Tsarukyan and Danis did not return. Former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler, who was present, said the incident stemmed from a post-match brawl between Chimaev and Danis at RAF 10. Lawler said he was focused on wrestling and competing, and urged athletes to behave more professionally, noting that young fans are watching and the sport should reach a higher level.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 11:06 UTC)

A brawl erupted onstage at a RAF 14 press conference after UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan charged at Dillon Danis. The confrontation followed an exchange of trash talk, when Danis stood to reveal a customized shirt mocking Tsarukyan’s teammate and friend, Khamzat Chimaev. The shirt showed Chimaev without a beard and carried an insulting message. Dozens of people rushed toward the stage, and the melee nearly brought it down, with Tsarukyan and Danis appearing to seek punches rather than wrestling takedowns. Chimaev was also among those involved, while RAF officials tried to separate people and restore order. Once control was regained, officials cleared the stage for the customary faceoffs, but Tsarukyan and Danis did not return. Robbie Lawler, who said he was present, avoided getting involved and focused on competing. He urged athletes to act professionally, noting that children are watching and saying the sport should reach another level.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 05:08 UTC)

A confrontation between UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan and Dillon Danis erupted into a large brawl at a press conference for RAF 14. The incident began after the two exchanged trash talk and Danis stood to show what he was wearing. His customized shirt featured Tsarukyan’s teammate and friend, Khamzat Chimaev, without a beard, alongside the words, “Khamzat’s my bitch.” Tsarukyan stood and charged at Danis, prompting dozens of people to rush toward the stage. The melee nearly tore the stage down, with Tsarukyan and Danis appearing to seek punches rather than takedowns. Chimaev, RAF officials, and many others were involved or present as the chaos unfolded. Officials worked to separate the fighters and regain control, then cleared the stage for the customary faceoffs. Tsarukyan and Danis did not return.