TLDR
- Arman Tsarukyan faces Mauricio Ruffy in the UFC 331 co-main event on September 19, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles
- Tsarukyan enters as a heavy -340 favorite with Ruffy listed at +250 on the betting odds
- The 29-year-old Tsarukyan hasn’t lost a fight in four years and is seeking his shot at UFC gold
- Ruffy moved his training camp to work with Alexander Volkanovski after being dominated on the ground by Benoit Saint Denis
- The matchup pits Tsarukyan’s elite wrestling and ground-and-pound against Ruffy’s electric striking power
Sources: mmamania.com | covers.com | sports.yahoo.com | cbssports.com
Arman Tsarukyan will face Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main event of UFC 331 on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The lightweight matchup features two top contenders with contrasting styles.
Tsarukyan enters the fight as a heavy favorite at -340, while Ruffy stands at +250 according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The betting lines reflect the Armenian wrestler’s four-year unbeaten streak and dominant performances.
The 29-year-old Tsarukyan has fought just once since a last-second injury or weight miss prevented him from rematching Islam Makhachev in January 2025. In November 2025, he submitted Dan Hooker with an arm triangle choke in Doha, Qatar, maintaining his position as a top lightweight contender.
Training Camp Changes for Ruffy
Ruffy, 30, made a major change ahead of this fight by moving his training camp to work with former champion Alexander Volkanovski. The move came after Benoit Saint Denis exposed serious weaknesses in Ruffy’s ground game, taking him down and achieving mount position within a minute.
The Brazilian striker bounced back from that loss with a win over Michael Chandler in June 2026 at UFC Freedom 250 in Washington, DC. Ruffy also defeated Rafael Fiziev using long straight punches and precise timing.
🚨 Here’s your updated card for #UFC331 after Ortega pulls out 😪 pic.twitter.com/3nzu5bqfgR
— 3KFighting (@3KFighting) September 15, 2026
Wrestler vs. Striker Dynamics
The fight presents a classic wrestler versus striker matchup. Tsarukyan is known for his elite wrestling and ground-and-pound attack, using elbows and hard punches to damage opponents on the mat.
On the feet, Tsarukyan uses a fast left kick to help overcome his deficits in height and reach. However, analysts note that boxing into takedown range has never been his strong suit.
Ruffy brings dangerous striking with fast, long, and powerful boxing. He has shown exceptional timing on counter shots and proved against Fiziev that his flashy style contains real substance.
The Brazilian’s weaknesses on the ground remain a major concern. Saint Denis not only took him down quickly but put him in terrible positions like mount in a similarly short time.
Prediction markets give Tsarukyan a 72% probability of winning, with a 31% chance the fight goes the full distance. Some analysts believe Ruffy’s improved grappling defense under Volkanovski could extend the fight longer than expected.
Odds for Tsarukyan via decision stand at +360, while a knockout victory is listed at +220. For Ruffy, a knockout victory is priced at +390, with a decision win at +1300.
Tsarukyan’s ground striking has proven deadly throughout his career, making it difficult for opponents to survive once taken down. Ruffy will need to use his jab and maintain distance to avoid the wrestler’s takedown attempts throughout the five-round co-main event.
