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Video: UFC's Arman Tsarukyan kicked off American Airlines flight
TL;DR
UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan was removed from an American Airlines flight for safety violations, reportedly for not being in his seat during taxiing. He later switched to a private plane for his trip to Philadelphia.
Key points
- Arman Tsarukyan was removed from an American Airlines flight.
- The removal was due to safety violations and not following crew instructions.
- Tsarukyan later switched to a private plane for his trip to Philadelphia.
Mentioned in this story
Arman TsarukyanUrijah FaberAmerican Airlines
In the modern era, ask AI to draw a picture of someone playing the victim, and it's likely to spit out an image of Arman Tsarukyan. That's a story lede worthy of the age we're living in, to be certain, but one that jibes with the vast majority of incidents with Tsarukyan's name in headlines the past 16 months. Tsarukyan found himself in the news again Thursday when flight attendants removed him and a pair of teammates from an American Airlines flight set to leave Los Angeles for Philadelphia. According to reports, they were removed for safety violations and not cooperating with flight attendants. When contacted Thursday, MMA Junkie initially was not given a comment from American Airlines. The company later issued a statement on Tsarukyan's removal to MMA Fighting. "On April 16, American Airlines flight 513 returned to the gate at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for customers who refused to follow federal regulations. 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," the statement reads. While initial reports inferred Tsarukyan and his teammates were removed for being on their phones while taxiing, the AA statement indicates it had to do with not being in their seats. Multiple videos have been posted to social media showing the incident and some of its aftermath. Tsarukyan later posted his own video saying he had switched to a private plane for the trip to Philadelphia, where he is set to wrestle at RAF08 on Saturday against 46-year-old Urijah Faber. Naturally, Tsarukyan maintains he did nothing wrong, and it's another case of the system working against him unfairly.
Arman Tsarukyan and his two friends were removed from an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Philadelphia because he was looking at his phone during takeoff , absolute madness. pic.twitter.com/02Huk3rgJc
— Adam Zubayraev (@AdamZubayraev) April 16, 2026 New footage shows Arman Tsarukyan arguing with the flight attendant before getting kicked off the flight 😬 pic.twitter.com/9VCSC1lv6Z
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 17, 2026
Q&A
Why was Arman Tsarukyan removed from the American Airlines flight?
Arman Tsarukyan was removed for safety violations, specifically for not following crew instructions to remain seated during taxiing.
What did American Airlines say about the incident involving Tsarukyan?
American Airlines stated that safety is their top priority and that customers must comply with crew member instructions, which includes staying seated while the aircraft is taxiing.
What event is Arman Tsarukyan preparing for after the flight incident?
Arman Tsarukyan is set to wrestle against Urijah Faber at RAF08 in Philadelphia following the flight incident.
