Arman Tsarukyan Details Behind the Scenes of Opponent Change Before UFC 331

Tsarukyan at a UFC press conference. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/armantsarukyan

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Arman Tsarukyan is back in the octagon and will face Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main event of UFC 331, scheduled for September 19th in Los Angeles (USA). Before starting his preparation for the fight, however, the Armenian had to deal with an important change in plans and explained how he received the opportunity to face the Brazilian.

During his appearance on UFC on Paramount, in the 'Deep Waters' segment on YouTube, this Monday (31), Tsarukyan revealed that he had initially agreed to face Charles do Bronx in a five-round fight. The confrontation, which would have put the two face to face again after the Armenian's victory over the former lightweight champion (up to 70,3 kg) at UFC 300 , in April 2024, ended up not happening.

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“I said yes (to Charles Oliveira ) and started my preparation in Armenia. It was to see who would be the challenger for the belt, five rounds. Then Charles Oliveira left and they offered Ruffy, and I said 'yes'. I needed a fight because I hadn't fought this year, so I said it was a good fight for me,” stated Arman Tsarukyan.

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The change meant that Tsarukyan would face an opponent with very different characteristics. While Charles is known for his high level of ground fighting, Luffy comes into the fight as one of the most dangerous names in the lightweight division, especially for his knockout power.

Mauricio Ruffy is coming off impressive victories over Rafael Fiziev and Michael Chandler and will face one of the top names in the division. The fight has gained even more importance because a win could definitively put the Brazilian in contention for the top spot in the division.

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Arman Tsarukyan's history in MMA

Tsarukyan promotes UFC event. Photo: Reproduction/YouTube

At 29 years old, Tsarukyan is considered one of the top names in the UFC lightweight division. A professional since 2015, the Armenian has a record of 23 wins and three losses, with nine wins by knockout and six by submission. Among his career highlights are victories over names like Beneil Dariush , Dan Hooker , and Charles Oliveira.