UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan and his associates were escorted off an American Airlines flight en route from Los Angeles to Philadelphia on Thursday.
Footage of the incident has circulated online, prompting a response from the airline.
An American Airlines representative stated, “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.” The statement continued, “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.”
Tsarukyan was en route to Philadelphia for his upcoming match at RIZIN 08 against Urijah Faber, scheduled as the co-main event.
Following the incident, Tsarukyan reportedly boarded a private aircraft and shared an update on Instagram, humorously stating, “I hope they’re not going to kick me out from this plane. OK guys, I’ll be five hours in Philadelphia.”