Scandal surrounding Hype Fighting: fighters complain about unpaid purses after events in Brazil

MMA promotion Hype Fightinghas become the center of a scandal after reports emerged that athletes who competed in two events held in Brazil in March and April have still not received their fight payouts.

According to MMA Fighting, journalists were contacted by 17 fighters who took part in those events, and all confirmed that payments have not been made. Among them are preliminary card fighters, including bare-knuckle bouts, as well as main card athletes featuring well-known MMA fighters and even some current UFC stars.

Reportedly, the unpaid amounts range from several hundred to several thousand dollars. Some fighters claim that in communications with promotion representatives, they were offered future fights in exchange for deleting posts about delayed payments.

It is also noted that fighters’ contracts specify that purses must be paid within 30 working days after a bout. However, for the April event in São Paulo, this deadline has already passed.

Hype Fighting organizers have not yet issued any public comment regarding the situation.

Arman Tsarukyan and involvement in Hype projects

Against this backdrop, media outlets are again discussing the involvement of Armenian UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan in the promotion’s media activities.

According to several reports and promotional campaigns, Tsarukyan was one of the key faces of Hype Fighting and took part in promoting events, including those held in Yerevan and Rio de Janeiro, where he was positioned as an ambassador and flagship star of the project.

Initially, he was also expected to headline the São Paulo event. However, after the cancellation of his bout against Dillon Danis, his involvement in Hype’s promotional activities noticeably decreased. No further posts related to the organization have appeared on his social media or in media coverage, which, combined with current reports of unpaid fighters, has raised additional questions among fans and journalists.

At the same time, neither the athlete nor the promotion has issued any official statements regarding the end or nature of their cooperation.

The situation around Hype Fighting continues to develop, and the lack of official comments from the organization increases pressure from fighters and media. If all claims are confirmed, this could become one of the biggest scandals in regional MMA in recent years.

The topic is particularly sensitive for Armenia, as Hype FC has already held two events in Yerevan and is planning more. Moreover, the owners and leading figures of the organization are ethnically Armenian. Therefore, there is hope that the situation will be resolved quickly.