Arman Tsarukyan, Mauricio Ruffy Face Off for First Time Ahead of UFC 331 Fight

Armenian lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan came face to face with Brazil’s Mauricio Ruffy for the first time Thursday, Aug. 14, as the two fighters build toward their five-round showdown at UFC 331.

The faceoff offered an early look at a matchup that could have major implications for the UFC lightweight title picture. Both fighters enter the bout with a chance to make a strong case for a championship opportunity.

Ruffy was not Tsarukyan’s original opponent. The UFC had planned a rematch between Tsarukyan and former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, but Oliveira withdrew for personal reasons. Ruffy, his fellow Brazilian, stepped in as the replacement.

For Tsarukyan, the fight is another opportunity to complete his return to the front of the lightweight title race.

He was scheduled to fight for the championship last year but withdrew one day before the bout because of a back injury. The late withdrawal frustrated UFC President Dana White, who later made clear that Tsarukyan would have to work his way back to another title opportunity.

Tsarukyan subsequently served as the backup fighter for the championship bout between Ilia Topuria and Oliveira. He later returned to the Octagon in Qatar, submitting Dan Hooker with an arm-triangle choke in the second round.

Ruffy, meanwhile, arrives with momentum after a rapid rise through the lightweight division.

The Brazilian earned his UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023 and drew attention with victories over Jamie Mullarkey and King Green. His climb suffered a setback when Benoît Saint Denis outgrappled him and won by submission, but Ruffy has since responded with two major finishes.

He knocked out Rafael Fiziev in the second round before stopping former title challenger Michael Chandler in the first round at the UFC’s White House event.

Thursday’s first faceoff brought the two contenders together ahead of a fight that could reshape the top of the lightweight division. For Tsarukyan, a victory would strengthen his case for another shot at UFC gold. For Ruffy, beating one of the division’s leading contenders could put him in position to fight for the title for the first time.

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