Arman Tsarukyan claims 'drama' is key for MMA’s growth

TL;DR

Arman Tsarukyan believes that drama is essential for the growth of MMA, citing Conor McGregor's impact on the sport. He argues that the pre-fight theatrics, like McGregor's infamous bus incident, contribute significantly to the sport's popularity.

Key points

Arman Tsarukyan emphasizes the role of drama in MMA's growth.
Conor McGregor is credited for elevating the sport's popularity.
The infamous bus incident contributed to the McGregor vs. Khabib fight's success.

Mentioned in this story

Arman TsarukyanConor McGregorKhabib NurmagomedovUFC

Arman Tsarukyan thinks the UFC doesn’t necessarily dislike drama from fighters.

Conor McGregor (22-6) is credited for taking MMA to unforeseen heights, also becoming the sport’s greatest ever star in the process. While McGregor is known for his legendary trash talk, “Notorious” also arguably crossed some boundaries to promote his fights.

The most notable of McGregor’s build-ups was ahead of his UFC 229 clash against Khabib Nurmagomedov. The Dubliner threw a dolly at a bus carrying Nurmagomedov and other fighters at UFC 223 in 2018 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. However, Tsarukyan doesn’t think the UFC was disappointed with McGregor’s actions. According to “Ahalkalakets,” it was the drama leading up to the fight that made McGregor vs. Nurmagomedov the biggest fight in UFC history.

Selling the Drama

“It’s good for the UFC,” Tsarukyan told Patrick Bet-David. “You think they didn’t like it? They liked it… The sport is getting big because of drama, not because of fighting. Like Conor, Khabib, Diaz, the trash talk, everything. Not just fighting, but what's going on before the fight. The bus thing went viral too. Because of that, that fight was the biggest fight in the UFC. If it wasn’t for the conflict before that, yeah, Conor-Khabib, they talk s—t in the press conference, they fight, it’s gone.”

McGregor is rumored to return against Max Holloway at UFC 329 this summer, though nothing has been officially confirmed. Meanwhile, Tsarukyan (23-3) isn’t shying away from his share of drama. Tsarukyan was suspended for punching a fan while walking out for his UFC 300 clash against Charles Oliveira in 2024. Tsarukyan recently offered to buy Ilia Topuria’s house, which went up for sale, provided the champion agreed to fight him.

Q&A

How did Conor McGregor contribute to the growth of MMA?

Conor McGregor's dramatic persona and trash talk have played a key role in elevating MMA's popularity, making him one of the sport's greatest stars.

What incident is Arman Tsarukyan referring to regarding McGregor and Khabib?

Tsarukyan refers to the 2018 incident where McGregor threw a dolly at a bus carrying Khabib Nurmagomedov, which helped generate massive interest in their UFC 229 fight.

Why does Tsarukyan think drama is important for the UFC?

Tsarukyan believes that drama, such as pre-fight conflicts and trash talk, is crucial for attracting attention and growing the sport, beyond just the fights themselves.