Khamzat Chimaev Restrained As Arman Tsarukyan And Dillon Danis Brawl At RAF 14 Press Conference

Khamzat Chimaev Restrained During Tsarukyan-Danis RAF 14 Brawl© Instagram

Khamzat Chimaev needed several people to hold him back after Arman Tsarukyan charged at Dillon Danis during Thursday's RAF 14 press conference in Las Vegas. A T-shirt mocking Chimaev set off the confrontation, sending security and others rushing onto the stage a day before the wrestling event.

Chimaev was not due to face Danis on Friday's card. His opponent is Robbie Lawler. That distinction offered little protection against the fallout once Danis displayed the shirt and Tsarukyan left his seat to confront him.

Danis' Shirt Sparks A Confrontation

The exchange had been verbal until Danis was asked about his clothing. He stood up to reveal an altered picture of Chimaev without his beard, accompanied by an insulting message.

Tsarukyan, Chimaev's friend and training partner, went toward Danis. People crowded around the pair as officials tried to separate them, disrupting the press conference and leaving the scheduled main-event faceoff unfinished.

Neither Tsarukyan nor Danis returned when the stage was cleared for the ceremonial staredowns, according to MMA Fighting.

Separate footage highlighted Chimaev's reaction. MMA Mania reported that roughly four people restrained him as he shouted toward Danis, including the threat: “I'll f—k you up!”

There is history behind the hostility. Chimaev pinned Danis in 44 seconds at RAF 10 in June, and that meeting also ended with a post-match brawl. Thursday's shirt brought their feud into the promotion for a different match.

Tsarukyan and Danis are scheduled to headline RAF 14 on October 23 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. The event is freestyle wrestling, putting Thursday's attempts to throw punches well outside what either man is supposed to do in competition.

Robbie Lawler Wants No Part Of The Disorder

Lawler watched the disorder without sharing his opponent's reaction. The former UFC welterweight champion remained composed during the confrontation and later made clear that he wanted no part of it.

“I'm here to wrestle and compete,” he told MMA Fighting.

His criticism went beyond the interruption. Lawler pointed to children watching the athletes and argued that competitors should help wrestling grow rather than make the spectacle the priority. He wanted better conduct from the people representing it.

That leaves Lawler preparing to wrestle someone who spent part of the previous evening trying to get past the people restraining him. Tsarukyan and Danis, meanwhile, never completed their promotional staredown.

RAF 14 is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. Eastern on Friday. Lawler's match with Chimaev serves as the co-main event before Tsarukyan and Danis meet on the mat.