Arman Tsarukyan Unfazed by Mauricio Ruffy Ahead of UFC 331 Co-Main Event

Arman Tsarukyan is heading into UFC 331 with full confidence as he prepares to face Mauricio Ruffy in a five-round co-main event this Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The matchup serves as a potential title eliminator in the lightweight division, prompting Ruffy to hold a high-profile training camp alongside the likes of UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski. However, Tsarukyan made it clear during UFC 331 Media Day that his opponent's preparation will not alter the outcome.

“You cannot compare Adesanya with me, and you cannot compare Volkanovski with me,” Tsarukyan told reporters. “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.” While Tsarukyan acknowledged Ruffy’s power following back-to-back knockout victories over Rafael Fiziev and Michael Chandler, he expects the primary danger to pass after the opening round, citing Ruffy's awkward striking as a temporary puzzle to solve.

Tsarukyan, who enters the bout on a five-fight winning streak, also dismissed potential threats to his standing in the title picture. Former champion Ilia Topuria has recently campaigned for a rematch with Justin Gaethje while alleging Gaethje loaded his gloves, a claim Tsarukyan brushed off as an excuse. When asked if a victory over Ruffy guarantees him the next title shot, Tsarukyan responded that he is “100 percent” certain. UFC 331 is headlined by a flyweight championship clash between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja.