During a recent episode of JRE MMA Show #177, Joe Rogan sat down with John Rallo, Matt Serra, and Din Thomas for a conversation that eventually turned to Arman Tsarukyan and why the UFC appears to have a complicated relationship with him.
The conversation started with genuine praise. Guest Matt Serra pointed out that Arman deserved to be in the title discussion, saying, “I think Arman should be spoken about too.”
Rogan went on to acknowledge how close the first match with Islam Makhachev was, noting, “His first match with Islam was very close. Very close. First bout in the UFC. I don’t even think he got a full camp.”
Rogan was also effusive about Arman’s wrestling, saying, “Dude, the guy that I’m most impressed with in that is Arman. I can’t believe how good he is as a wrestler.”
Rogan continued by discussing Tsarukyan’s upside in the lightweight division and the kind of matchups he could create at the top of the rankings. He specifically mentioned the possibility of Arman facing Ilia Topuria at 155 pounds.
“Arman is a f**king bad man, dude. If you wanted to compete for Ilia at 155 lb, that’s a very interesting matchup,” Rogan said.
However, the tone of the conversation shifted when Serra brought up a recent controversy involving Tsarukyan. He referenced a video circulating online that showed Arman choking out a fan on a couch and allegedly holding the submission longer than necessary.
After watching the footage, Rogan did not hold back his reaction. “That’s really crazy. Yeah, that was so unnecessary,” he said.
The incident led the panel to question whether behavior outside the cage might be affecting Tsarukyan’s standing with the UFC. Rogan then turned directly to UFC analyst Din Thomas to ask about the organization’s apparent stance toward the fighter.
“What did he get kicked out of the UFC for? What happened with him?” Rogan asked.
Thomas responded by sharing what he had heard regarding Tsarukyan’s reputation behind the scenes.
“I heard he was just like mean to people. Like mean to the staff. That’s what I heard. He was just like mean to the staff,” Thomas said.
The group then tried to put that perception into context, with Serra pointing out Tsarukyan’s financial background and upbringing. “His family has like tons of money,” Serra said.
Rogan acknowledged the point but suggested that wealth had not diminished Tsarukyan’s competitive drive. “Yeah, he still has a desire to be the best,” Rogan said.
John Rallo then offered his own theory about how that background might influence Tsarukyan’s behavior.
“Maybe that’s why he can’t get his attitude together, too,” Rallo said.
During the conversation, Rogan also reflected on how missed opportunities have also hurt Tsarukyan’s momentum inside the cage, particularly when it comes to title contention.
“F**kups have kept him from being at the time. Missing the title bout was the big one. That was the craziest one. Like his back hurt the day before,” Rogan said.
