Two UFC 300 fighters to attend hearing after Nevada Commission withholds their purses for breaking rules
UFC 300 took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on April 13, 2024, and featured several exciting matchups. The tricentennial event witnessed the UFC give out the highest bonuses in its history. Unfortunately, a pair of fighters who competed on the card haven't received their pay yet.
The two athletes in question are UFC featherweight Diego Lopes and UFC lightweight Arman Tsarukyan. Brazil's Lopes secured a first-round TKO victory over Sodiq Yusuff on the prelims, while Armenia's Tsarukyan beat Charles Oliveira by split decision on the main card.
Lopes and Tsarukyan's purses have been withheld by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). As reported by MMA Junkie's Nolan King, Lopes is scheduled to attend a hearing at the NSAC's monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
The commission withheld Lopes' purse because he hopped the octagon fence. The Brazilian fighter defeated Yusuff, jumped over the fence, and interacted with UFC CEO Dana White.
Iridium Sports Agency, which manages Lopes, is working alongside White and the NSAC to resolve the issue. Over the years, though many fighters have jumped over the octagon fence while celebrating their wins, the act is disallowed by some commissions.
Additionally, the NSAC withheld Tsarukyan's purse. King noted in a tweet that, per MMA Junkie's John Morgan, the NSAC did so due to Tsarukyan having struck a fan during his entrance heading into the Oliveira matchup.
The fan later apologized and admitted that he'd provoked Tsarukyan. He suggested that he's unlikely to sue the lightweight fighter or the UFC. However, the NSAC is looking into it and has called Tsarukyan to appear at the April 30 hearing.
Furthermore, King tweeted that Igor Severino, the flyweight fighter who bit his opponent Andre Lima at the UFC Vegas 89 event on March 23, 2024, will also appear at the hearing. Severino was released from the UFC but will have to be at the NSAC hearing in relation to the biting incident.
What's next for Diego Lopes and Arman Tsarukyan after UFC 300?
Diego Lopes is 3-1 in the UFC and is currently on a three-fight win streak. Lopes is fresh off a first-round TKO victory against Sodiq Yusuff at UFC 300. His NSAC issue notwithstanding, the 29-year-old currently holds the No. 14 position in the official UFC featherweight rankings and is viewed as a rising star in the division. He notably called for a rematch with Movsar Evloev in his post-fight interview.
Meanwhile, Arman Tsarukyan is 4-1 in his last five matchups. He's on a four-fight win streak and is coming off a razor-thin win over former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 300. The 27-year-old now holds the No.1 spot in the UFC lightweight rankings and is likely to compete for the UFC lightweight title the next time he steps into the octagon.