Tsarukyan charges at Danis after Khamzat shirt stunt sparks near-riot at RAF 14 presser

Arman Tsarukyan launched himself at Dillon Danis at the RAF 14 pre-fight press conference on Thursday, igniting a mass brawl that nearly collapsed the stage after Danis unveiled a t-shirt mocking Tsarukyan’s close friend and teammate Khamzat Chimaev.

The confrontation escalated quickly from routine trash talk when Danis was asked about his outfit. He stood, displayed the custom shirt, and delivered his punchline without hesitation: “It says Khamzat’s my bitch. And it has a picture with him without a beard.”

Tsarukyan was out of his seat within seconds, charging across the stage toward Danis. The rush triggered a chaotic scene as dozens of people stormed the platform — fighters’ entourages, bystanders, and security personnel all colliding in an attempt either to join the confrontation or contain it.

The melee put serious strain on the stage structure as RAF officials scrambled to restore order. Both Tsarukyan and Danis were actively looking to land punches before staff managed to separate them and clear the area.

Once calm was restored, the standard pre-fight faceoffs proceeded — but Tsarukyan and Danis did not appear together again for the ceremony, an unusual omission that underlined just how close the situation had come to spiralling completely out of control.

The two are scheduled to meet in the RAF 14 main event on Friday at 9 p.m. ET, a contest that was already billed as a wrestling match between a decorated grappler and a rising MMA star. After Thursday’s scenes, it carries considerably more edge.