Former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili believes Arman Tsarukyan wasn’t in the wrong during a viral brawl at RAF 06.

Top UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan’s latest endeavor outside of the Octagon ended in chaos immediately following his Real American Freestyle 06 wrestling match against Georgio Poullas.

Tsarukyan and Poullas squared off in a highly anticipated showdown on the RAF 06 card, headlined by a matchup between MMA legends Henry Cejudo and Urijah Faber. It was a back-and-forth affair, but Tsarukyan and the presiding officials repeatedly scolded Poullas for slapping and using unfair tactics on the mats.

After eight rounds, Tsarukyan took out his frustration with Poullas on his opponent, taking down Poullas after the buzzer before throwing several punches. Tsarukyan, Poullas, and their teams were involved in a wild post-match brawl that left Poullas getting extensive treatment at a local hospital in Tempe.

Fans expressed mixed reactions to Tsarukyan’s actions following the controversial wrestling match. But one former UFC champion, Merab Dvalishvili, believes Tsarukyan wasn’t in the wrong.

Merab Dvalishvili comes to Arman Tsarukyan’s defense after RAF 06 brawl

In a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Dvalishvili was asked if Tsarukyan was justified in attacking Poullas following questionable in-match tactics.

“I think Georgio started that; he was doing too much,” Dvalishvili said of the Tsarukyan incident.

“They took points from him, and I think if they were supposed to fight, they should’ve fought instead of the wrestling match, not after. That’s just my opinion. Georgio was doing too much for sure, fighting aggressively, and we also saw how he was pushing in Arman’s face.”

This isn’t the first time Tsarukyan has failed to control his temper before or after combat sports competitions. Tsarukyan headbutted Dan Hooker before their fight at UFC Qatar, prompting UFC CEO Dana White and the matchmakers to postpone his desired UFC lightweight title shot.

After submitting Hooker, Tsarukyan could potentially face another top contender before getting another lightweight title shot. In the meantime, he could potentially rematch Poullas and reignite one of RAF’s first feuds.

Do you agree with Merab Dvalishvili’s stance on Arman Tsarukyan? Let us know in the comments!