Arman Tsarukyan prepares for UFC 331 against Mauricio Ruffy

Arman Tsarukyan was struggling against fellow lightweight contender Mauricio Ruffy in the UFC 331 co-main event last weekend in Los Angeles, but as time began winding down in the opening frame, “The Batman” uncorked a fight-ending elbow that sent the Brazilian to la-la-land. Turns out Tsarukyan learned it from Tony Ferguson during their Hype Fighting […]

UFC lightweight contender Mauricio Ruffy issued a statement following his brutal KO loss to Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 331.After defending several of Tsarukyan’s takedown attempts in the first round and making things interesting, Ruffy was on the receiving end of a brutal elbow and follow-up punches that knocked him out cold with just four seconds […] The post Mauricio Ruffy Issues Statement Following UFC 331 KO Loss appeared first on HEAVY.

Mauricio Ruffy has reflected on his recent defeat in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

It was a mistake. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight knockout artist Mauricio Ruffy suffered a first-round stoppage loss to No. 1 title contender Arman Tsarukyan in UFC 331’s co-main event this past weekend (Sat., Sept. 19, 2026) inside Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California (watch highlights). Ruffy found success against Tsarukyan for as long as […]

Mauricio Ruffy speaks in depth for the first time about his UFC 331 loss.

Mauricio Ruffy showcased improved takedown defense against Arman Tsarukyan, but didn’t anticipate the fight-ending blow at the end of the first round.

Mauricio Ruffy showcased improved takedown defense against Arman Tsarukyan, but didn’t anticipate the fight-ending blow at the end of the first round.

UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan issued a statement following his big win at UFC 331 over Mauricio Ruffy.In the co-main event of UFC 331, Tsarukyan knocked out Ruffy with a standing elbow and punches with just four seconds left in the first round.The fight was scheduled for five rounds, but Tsarukyan didn’t even need a […] The post Arman Tsarukyan Issues Statement Following Big UFC 331 Win appeared first on HEAVY.

Arman Tsarukyan’s amazing double elbow knockout win over Mauricio Ruffy wasn’t just a fluke — footage from his training camp leading up to the UFC 331 fight shows “Batman” hard at work drilling the move. Tsarukyan was a big favorite coming into his fight against Ruffy, but most expected the wrestling powerhouse to take the […]

The UFC forced Tsarukyan to earn his way back into the lightweight title picture. After six straight wins and one last emphatic knockout at UFC 331, there should be no more hoops left to jump through.

Arman Tsarukyan re-cemented his position as the rightful No. 1 contender at lightweight with a crushing first round knockout of Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331. A lot of people saw “Batman” beating Ruffy, but not the way he did it: with two massive elbows that sent his Brazilian opponent crashing to the canvas unconscious (highlights […]

Arman Tsarukyan wins at UFC 331 on Saturday night. | Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Arman Tsarukyan has a message for Justin Gaethje: I’m next. On Saturday night, Tsarukyan scored arguably the biggest win of his career, knocking out Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main event of UFC 331 in Los Angeles. Viewed by many as a title eliminator bout, lightweight champion Justin Gaethje sat cageside for the fight, and kicking off his post-fight press conference afterward, Tsarukyan had a simple message for the champ. “He already knows his message; he’s fighting me next,” Tsarukyan told reporters. Tsarukyan is currently on a six-fight win streak at lightweight and was supposed to challenge Islam Makhachev for the title last year, but a last-minute withdrawal from the event, plus other incidents, put Tsarukyan in the doghouse with the UFC. As such, Tsarukyan felt extra pressure to deliver on Saturday to ensure his title shot, and he believes he did just that. “Every fight is pressure for me,” Tsarukyan said. “It’s not a joke because I want to be UFC champion. Every fight for me is so important. This fight is important too, especially finish and show the great performance. When I’m going to talk to UFC, the bosses are not going to say, ‘It was a boring decision, and you want to fight for the title.’ I knocked him out in the first round, and they can see the crowd, people, and my ability in the cage. … “I’ve been waiting a long time,” Tsarukyan added later. “I need a title fight, and today I proved it again. This is the third time I’m fighting for the No. 1 contender, and third year. After this fight, hopefully I’m fighting for the title.” Tsarukyan certainly believes he will be, saying he spoke with Dana White and the UFC after the win. But whether or not he’ll be fighting Gaethje is another question entirely, and one that Tsarukyan isn’t sure he knows the answer to because he believes Gaethje has no interest in fighting him. “Justin Gaethje, he never tells my name,” Tsarukyan said. “He’s scared. He wanted Ruffy to knock me out. It means he’s trying to avoid me, and he’s going to try to call out Ilia Topuria or tell [the UFC], ‘I want $15 million for Arman Tsarukyan or I’m retired.’ He’s going to play around bullshit game. “But UFC — either he’s going to fight me, or he’s going to give the title opportunity for the young guys. We have a lot of contenders right now.” Tsarukyan added that if Gaethje does opt to retire instead of fighting him, he wouldn’t be upset by that; he simply wants his opportunity to become champion. And when it comes to that, he’s not fussy. Tsarukyan says he’ll be ready whenever the UFC wants. “I have no injuries. So I need one-week vacation, and then I can start training again,” Tsarukyan said when asked about when he’d like to fight for the title. “Probably middle of December, end of December. If there is a big card at end of December or middle December, so I’ll be ready. Right now, I can’t [say] ‘I want to fight in two months, I want to fight in three months.’ Whatever they tell me, I’ll be there.”

Arman Tsarukyan got the job done earlier tonight in Los Angeles. The top contender in the UFC lightweight division knocked out Mauricio Ruffy in their scheduled lightweight bout during the co-main event of UFC 331 at the Crypto.com Arena. The win put Tsarukyan in a great position to be next for champion Justin Gaethje. Dana […] The post Arman Tsarukyan Is an a Great Position to Possibly Fight for the Title Next appeared first on HEAVY.

Arman Tsarukyan cemented his status as the No.1 contender at lightweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship with a first-round knockout win.

Arman Tsarukyan cemented his status as the No.1 contender at lightweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship with a first-round knockout win.

In the co-main event of UFC 331, Arman Tsarukyan brutally knocked out Mauricio Ruffy to cement his place as the No. 1 lightweight contender. Tsarukyan stopped Ruffy with seconds to go in the first round as he dropped his foe with an elbow and punches for the most impressive win of his UFC career to […] The post Arman Tsarukyan Knocks Out Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 appeared first on HEAVY.

Arman Tsarukyan understood the assignment and delivered a vicious win at UFC 331 to stake his claim to a lightweight title shot.

Tsarukyan emphatically delivered his statement as the top lightweight contender on the planet

Arman Tsarukyan knows his time is now and he wants his title shot.

The MMA community reacted to Arman Tsarukyan's title shot statement victory against Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 19: Arman Tsarukyan of Georgia reacts after a knockout victory against Mauricio Ruffy of Brazil in a lightweight fight during the UFC 331 event at Crypto.com Arena on September 19, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Watch Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy full fight video highlights from their UFC 331 co-main event showdown Saturday night, courtesy of multiple outlets. Tsarukyan vs. Ruffy took place Sept. 19 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif. Arman Tsarukyan (24-3) and Mauricio Ruffy (14-3) squared off in the main event clash. The fight aired live on Paramount+. Official result: Arman Tsarukyan def. Mauricio Ruffy via first-round KO (4:56) Catch all the video highlights below. NASTY. ELBOW. OUT. COLD. 📺 #UFC331 on @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/qMDy08kKSj — UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) September 20, 2026 Khamzat Chimaev and N3on in the corner of Arman Tsarukyan 📺 #UFC331 on @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/vDYKO5j7T3 — UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) September 20, 2026 Ready to go 👊🏼#ufc331 pic.twitter.com/GaqVokEB4y — Arman Tsarukyan UFC (@ArmanUfc) September 20, 2026 Mauricio Ruffy and his fiancée arriving in all black to #UFC331 😳🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZBLtqs7wzs — ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 20, 2026 Arman arrives with N3on in his corner 👀 #UFC331 pic.twitter.com/YgPQ9I7tep — ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 20, 2026 For more on Tsarukyan vs. Ruffy, check out the live blog below. Round 1 Jason Herzog the referee for this five-round contest. Both men very cautious, Tsarukyan flicks out a low kick. Ruffy with a glancing jab. A minute in and no takedown attempt from Tsarukyan. It looks like Ruffy is ready to launch an intercept knee. Lightning fast right by Ruffy, Tsarukyan felt that one. Tsarukyan goes for a single leg, runs the pipe, and gets the takedown, but Ruffy immediately back up. High-level wrestling defense from Ruffy so far. Arman grinding Ruffy along the fence. The takedown defense is holding up, despite Tsarukyan’s best efforts. He has the body and he drives Ruffy down, but can’t keep him there. Sneaky fence grab by Ruffy to stay upright. Nice elbow inside by Tsarukyan. Still, he’s not doing much with his wrestling other than holding Ruffy. Ruffy with an elbow as they separate. Tsarukyan ducks in for a takedown, but switches up to an elbow that lands flush. Ruffy is hurt bad, possibly out on his feet. Tsarukyan follows up with another elbow and now he’s definitely out on his back. Wicked knockout by Tsarukyan.

Arman Tsarukyan rocked Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331

Arman Tsarukyan knocked out Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331.

Tsarukyan came away with a huge win in the co-main event and now has eyes on the Lightweight belt.

Arman Tsarukyan returned to the octagon tonight in the co-main event of UFC 331

Follow live UFC 331 results for Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy

Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy ahead of UFC 331 | Chris Unger, Zuffa LLC This is the UFC 331 live blog for Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy, the five-round lightweight co-main event bout Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Tsarukyan and Ruffy head into tonight’s event hoping to secure an elusive title shot, with Tsarukyan currently tied at No. 2 with Ilia Topuria at 155 pounds in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, and Ruffy looking to rise from the No. 10 spot. On the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound charts, Tsarukyan is ranked No. 16. Currently on a five-fight win streak, Tsarukyan (23-3) looks to earn another opportunity to capture lightweight gold after his UFC 311 championship chance ended in disaster. Tsarukyan was booked to fight Islam Makhachev, but was forced to withdraw a day before fight night due to a back injury and he has been clawing his way back since. He stayed in the win column with a dominant submission over Dan Hooker and has found success wrestling for RAF and with his rapidly growing social media profile, and looks to make his case undeniable with a strong performance Saturday. Ruffy (14-2) is coming off of a spectacular first-round knockout over Michael Chandler at the historic UFC White House event this past June. The Brazilian striking specialist has won 13 of 14 fights by KO/TKO and can shake up the division if he puts down Tsarukyan. Check out the UFC 331 live blog for Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy below.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 13: Arman Tsarukyan of Georgia prepares to fight in a lightweight fight during the UFC 300 event at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) | Zuffa LLC via Getty Images MMA Fighting has a live stream watch party for Saturday’s UFC 331 event at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. In the main event, Joshua Van defends his flyweight title in a rematch against the man he won the championship from, Alexandre Pantoja in a heated rematch. Join MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Jed Meshew as they watch the main card and more for the promotion’s upcoming numbered event in the City of Angels. In the co-main event, top lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan faces knockout artist Mauricio Ruffy in a high-stakes, five-round contest. Additionally, former Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull takes on Doo Ho Choi in the featherweight featured contest, while Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson battles Sean Sharaf in a heavyweight bout. The UFC 331 main card opens with a light heavyweight tilt between Alonzo Menifield and Iwo Baraniewski. Watch MMA Fighting’s UFC 330 live stream Watch Party beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT with the featured preliminary fight between Marlon Vera and Charles Jourdain.

Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy had to be separated at UFC 331 ceremonial weigh-ins

Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy | (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Arman Tsarukyan continues to have issues during faceoffs. On Saturday, Tsarukyan takes on Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main event of UFC 331. The five-round lightweight fight is ostensibly a title eliminator bout, but despite his pre-fight antics hurting his reputation with the UFC before, Tsarukyan simply couldn’t help himself, nearly getting into it a day early with Ruffy. While Tsarukyan and Ruffy haven’t had much friction during fight week, that all changed at the ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday night in Los Angeles. After stepping off the scale, Tsarukyan made a beeline for Ruffy, who stood posing with his fist out. Tsarukyan stepped inside Ruffy’s fist, leading Ruffy to use that fist to push him back, nearly starting an altercation between the two before security stepped in. FIREWORKS 🧨 🇦🇲 @ArmanUFC vs. @RuffyMMA 🇧🇷 is CAN'T MISS! #UFC331 #CryptoCom pic.twitter.com/vdRHHVYrwf — UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) September 19, 2026 Don't get too close 🗣️@ArmanUFC vs @RuffyMMA [ #CryptoCom #UFC331 | LIVE SEP 19 at 9pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/C4R5JTe21j — UFC (@ufc) September 19, 2026 This is not the first time Tsarukyan has had issues at weigh-ins. “Batman” famously headbutted Dan Hooker at their final faceoff before their fight at UFC Qatar in November. Saturday’s main event is a flyweight title rematch between Joshua Van and Alexander Pantoja, and in contrast to the co-main event, Van and Pantoja have been feuding all week; however, none of that boiled over for their final faceoff as the two kept their hands to themselves before delivering their final statements to the crowd. One. More. Night. Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja face off one final time before their war at #UFC331 👊 Who wins and how?? pic.twitter.com/RXfo9617oS — MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) September 19, 2026 “That’s opportunity. I’m grateful. But what happened in December, it’s not going to happen tomorrow,” Pantoja said. “I’ll see you in the octagon.” “It ain’t no accident,” Van responded. “It happened the way it did, and it was meant to be. Tomorrow, we kill or be killed!” Check out the full UFC 331 ceremonial weigh-ins above.

Tsarukyan is back Los Angeles at UFC 331 against Mauricio Ruffy, looking to secure a lightweight title shot after turning his UFC 311 withdrawal into unlikely stardom

Mauricio Ruffy left his "comfort zone" for UFC 331 and embraced everything it will take to upset Arman Tsarukyan.

Arman Tsarukyan unbothered by Mauricio Ruffy training with former UFC champions

Arman Tsarukyan | (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Arman Tsarukyan doesn’t care who Mauricio Ruffy trains with ahead of UFC 331. This Saturday, Tsarukyan takes on Ruffy in a five-round co-main event for UFC 331 in Los Angeles. The bout is potentially a title eliminator, and as such, Ruffy has pulled out all the stops in his preparation, working with UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski and former champion Israel Adesanya. But Tsarukyan doesn’t think that will matter much once the cage door closes. “You cannot compare Adesanya with me, and you cannot compare Volkanovski with me,” Tsarukyan told reporters during UFC 331 Media Day. “They’re completely different fighters. Yeah, he has power, and he has good striking, but I’m better everywhere. So with my wrestling and my striking that I can mix, I can always strike [with] him.” That being said, Tsarukyan acknowledges that Ruffy is a dangerous opponent. The former Fighting Nerd enters the fight off back-to-back knockout wins over Rafael Fiziev and Michael Chandler, and has some of the most dangerous striking in the division. But Tsarukyan believes he really only has to be concerned early in the fight. “He has a really awkward style,” Tsarukyan said. “I’ve never faced anybody like his striking. So it’s gonna be a little bit dangerous first round, but second round should be good.” Tsarukyan is currently on a five-fight winning streak and seems to be the obvious next lightweight title challenger should he win on Saturday. However, former champion Ilia Topuria has already begun lobbying for a rematch with Justin Gaethje, claiming Gaethje cheated by loading his gloves. Tsarukyan thinks that’s nonsense. “He’s complaining about gloves, but [it’s] just [an] excuse,” Tsarukyan said. Similarly, Tsarukyan has no concerns about Topuria leapfrogging him for the title shot after he wins on Saturday, giving a succinct response when asked if beating Ruffy guarantees him a fight with Gaethje. “100 percent.” UFC 331 takes place this Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, headlined by a flyweight title fight between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja.