Urijah Faber has shared a surprising sentiment, thanking Arman Tsarukyan for the dramatic moment when he was sent flying into the crowd during their recent wrestling match.
The unexpected turn of events occurred during the main event of RAF 08, held at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia. The matchup between Faber and Tsarukyan was a late addition to the card following Henry Cejudo’s withdrawal from his scheduled bout.
Tsarukyan emerged victorious via technical fall. However, the match was largely defined by a chaotic incident where both fighters tumbled out of the ring and into the spectator area, creating a viral moment that sparked varied reactions across the combat sports community.
The dramatic collision happened as Tsarukyan attempted a powerful takedown. Instead of securing the victory, the move sent both him and Faber off the mat and onto the concrete floor adjacent to the crowd. Fortunately, neither fighter sustained any injuries, and the match was able to resume shortly after.
Following the restart, Tsarukyan quickly regained control, securing another takedown and executing a decisive four-point throw, ultimately clinching the win with a dominant score of 13-1.
Urijah Faber Credits Arman Tsarukyan for Alleviating Back Pain After Crowd Toss
While initially making a subtle, backhanded remark about the incident, Urijah Faber now appears to have a more appreciative perspective on the wild spill. He suggested that Tsarukyan’s actions might have been a deliberate attempt to gain online attention.
“I like Arman. To be honest, I don’t think that was personal,” Faber stated during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show. “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 express genuine gratitude towards Tsarukyan, revealing that the impact of landing on the concrete unexpectedly provided relief for a persistent 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.”
