Knockout Artist Mauricio Ruffy Sends Warning to Arman Tsarukyan Ahead of UFC 331

Brazilian star Mauricio Ruffy has violent aspirations for his upcoming matchup against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 331.

Knockout Artist Mauricio Ruffy Sends Warning to Arman Tsarukyan Ahead of UFC 331

Mauricio Ruffy warns Arman Tsarukyan (via MMA Fighting, X)

Mauricio Ruffy has emerged as one of UFC’s most dangerous lightweights with impressive performances inside the octagon. The Brazilian star scored notable wins over Rafael Fiziev and, most recently, Michael Chandler before booking the biggest fight of his career against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 331. Ahead of the potential title eliminator, Ruffy has spoken confidently about the matchup and expects to finish the Armenian.

Tsarukyan remains one of the UFC’s most dominant lightweights with elite wrestling and relentless pressure. He last competed in November 2025, submitting Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar, and also has notable wins over Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush. His grappling has made him one of the toughest matchups in the division heading into UFC 331.

Many believe Ruffy faces an uphill task against Tsarukyan, who has remained active under the RAF and Hype Fighting banners. However, Ruffy remains confident he can finish the top lightweight and defy the odds at UFC 331.

Winning this fight takes us straight to the title. I don’t feel pressure at all. I’m going there for the knockout, I don’t want to leave the octagon without that result.

Mauricio Ruffy via Instagram

The fight was originally scheduled as a rematch between Tsarukyan and Oliveira at UFC 331. However, the BMF champion withdrew from the bout following the death of his close teammate, UFC fighter Allan Nascimento. The 34-year-old reportedly suffered a fatal heart attack in his sleep, prompting Oliveira’s decision to step away from the event.

While Ruffy has established himself as one of the UFC’s most dangerous strikers, his grappling remains a question against elite wrestlers. Benoit Saint-Denis exposed that weakness by repeatedly controlling him on the mat before securing a second-round submission at UFC Paris.

To improve his grappling deficit, Ruffy began working with UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski as a hands-on wrestling coach ahead of UFC Freedom 250. However, he did not need to rely on those improvements in that matchup, as he knocked out Chandler to secure another major victory.

Arman Tsarukyan enters the fight after defeating Indian influencer Ankit Baiyanpuria at Hype FC Armenia. While Ruffy predicts a knockout victory, the Armenian has not been knocked out since 2015, adding another challenge for the Brazilian contender at UFC 331.

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Will Arman Tsarukyan get the next title shot if he wins against Mauricio Ruffy?

Arman Tsarukyan has been campaigning for a UFC lightweight title shot for years after establishing himself among the division’s elite. He has remained inside the top three of the rankings for multiple years but has been overlooked on several occasions. His missed opportunities have often been linked to behavioral issues during his UFC run.

The first major setback came at UFC 300, where Tsarukyan punched a fan during his walkout and received a nine-month suspension. He later withdrew at the last minute from his UFC 311 title fight against Islam Makhachev. Tsarukyan also sparked controversy by headbutting Dan Hooker during their UFC Qatar ceremonial faceoff.

Arman Tsarukyan
Arman Tsarukyan (via The Treigning Lab)

Tsarukyan’s relationship with UFC CEO Dana White has improved recently. He was also named the backup for the lightweight title fight at UFC Freedom 250. Ariel Helwani revealed that UFC officials have promised him a title shot if he defeats Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331.

I’m told Arman was told by the UFC brass that if he wins this fight, he is getting a title shot. I’m also told Justin Gaethje is not fighting for the rest of the year. I think Gaethje fights again, period. He had a big fight in June; not fighting for the rest of the year isn’t that big a deal. I certainly don’t think there should be an interim title fight. If Arman wins, he has to be the No. 1 contender… It’s a crime that Arman Tsarukyan at this point in his career is still not fighting for the belt

Ariel Helwani via X


Newly crowned lightweight champion Justin Gaethje has already recognized Tsarukyan as a potential first title challenger. However, Gaethje has revealed plans to sit out until 2027 after competing twice in 2026 alone. Tsarukyan’s path to a title shot now depends on his UFC 331 matchup

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