UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan and his companions were disembarked from an American Airlines flight on Thursday, which was en route from Los Angeles to Philadelphia.
Footage of the incident has circulated online, prompting a statement from the airline.
“On April 16th, American Airlines flight 513 returned to the gate at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) due to customers who refused to comply with federal regulations,” an American Airlines representative stated. “Safety is our utmost priority, and we expect our passengers to adhere to the instructions of the flight crew while aboard our aircraft, including remaining seated during taxiing.”
Tsarukyan was traveling to Philadelphia for his upcoming match at RAF 08, where he is scheduled to face Urijah Faber in the co-main event.
Following the incident, he boarded a private flight and shared a video on Instagram, humorously remarking, “I hope they’re not going to kick me out from this plane. OK guys, I’ll be five hours in Philadelphia.”