UFC lightweight Bobby Green has claimed he was attacked by a teammate of Arman Tsarukyan, ahead of this weekend’s event in Austin, Texas.
Green and Tsarukyan, who also competes at 155lbs, are both scheduled to compete at Saturday’s Fight Night – but not against each other. Green, 37, is set to face Jalin Turner, before 27-year-old Tsarukyan headlines against Beneil Dariush.
However, Wednesday’s media day saw conflict between Green and a member of Tsarukyan’s team, who is alleged to have attacked the American – potentially over recent comments by Green, who labelled Tsaukryan a “boring” and “terrible f***ing” fighter.
Iridium Sports Agency, which represents Green, said in a statement on Wednesday (29 November): “During a media interview earlier today, [our] client Bobby Green was unprovokingly [sic] accosted and attacked by a member of Arman Tsarukyan’s team at the UFC host hotel.
“Bobby tried to avoid the conflict, but he was put in a position where he had to defend himself and his coach from the larger, aggressive group.”
Green posted numerous videos on Instagram on Wednesday, seemingly of a confrontation with several men, one of whom appeared to be Tsarukyan. “Hey, I won’t be starting nothing with nobody, but if you start that s*** with me, I’m definitely gonna finish it,” Green said in one video.
“So this b******* ran up on me and s***, trying to start that s*** [...] I socked one of his homies. Stop playing with me, bro. I need somebody else, too, to tell me who that is in that video.
“I don’t know who the f*** he is, but he was acting super tough when they ran up on me by myself [...] As soon as I ran into them again, he was, ‘Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.’ You started this s***, and then as soon as security come and all that s***, now you wanna act tough again.”
The Independent has approached the UFC for comment.
Armenian-Russian Tsarukyan last fought in June, beating Jaoquim Silva via TKO to secure his eighth win in his last 10 fights. Meanwhile, Green competed as recently as October, knocking out Grant Dawson in 33 seconds to make it back-to-back wins.
Tsarukyan is ranked eighth in the UFC’s lightweight division, while his opponent Dariush is No 4. Green is ranked 13th, and his opponent Turner is seeded 12th.
