Urijah Faber has unexpectedly expressed gratitude to Arman Tsarukyan for launching him off the stage during their recent wrestling match.
Faber squared off against Tsarukyan in the main event of RAF 08 on Saturday night at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after the card was reshuffled due to Henry Cejudo’s withdrawal from his scheduled bout with Merab Dvalishvili.
“Ahalkalakets” secured a technical fall victory, but the match was ultimately overshadowed by a chaotic moment in which both fighters crashed into the crowd, creating a viral scene that drew mixed reactions from combat sports fans.
The No. 2-ranked UFC lightweight contender charged in for a powerful takedown that looked set to end the contest. Instead, the attempt sent both him and Faber tumbling off the mat and onto the concrete beside the crowd. Despite the frightening spill, both fighters avoided injury, allowing the match to continue moments later.
When the action resumed, Tsarukyan wasted no time, securing another takedown before executing a four-point throw to extend his lead to 13-1, sealing the victory by technical superiority.
Although “The California Kid” initially took a subtle jab at Arman Tsarukyan with a backhanded compliment, Faber now appears to have embraced the moment and is even appreciative of the wild incident.
Urijah Faber Thanks Arman Tsarukyan For Fixing His Back Pain By Launching Him Into Crowd
During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Urijah Faber addressed the incident in which Arman Tsarukyan launched him off the stage at RAF 08, downplaying any personal animosity while suggesting that “Ahalkalakets” did it intentionally to generate social media buzz.
“I like Arman. To be honest, I don’t think that was personal,” Faber said. “I think that was him being clickbait. He’s trying to get these clicks at all risks. These young guys will do anything for the clicks. He wanted to risk both of our livelihoods for some clicks there. He knew what he was doing. He said, ‘Let’s throw caution to the wind,’ and bless his heart. I could have gotten up and done an elbow shiver to the back of the head, but I know exactly what was going on. He’s just trying to draw some attention to the wonderful sport of wrestling.”
The UFC Hall of Famer went on to say he’s genuinely grateful to Arman Tsarukyan, noting that the impact unexpectedly helped relieve a lingering back issue.
“I literally landed on the cement. I think it helped my back. My back was hurt two weeks ago, and I wasn’t able to do much training. I think he realigned it there. And I didn’t even do a warm-up at the match. You know, I did no wrestling, uh, other than footwork and motion leading up to that because I had a little issue, and I think he fixed it. So thank you, Arman Tsarukyan, for the help.”