Arman Tsarukyan will face a new rival in the UFC 331 co-main event as the promotion pivots away from a Charles Oliveira rematch.
UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan will have to wait a bit longer for a potential lightweight title shot.
Tsarukyan, who hasn’t fought since submitting Dan Hooker last year at UFC Qatar, was rumored to fight BMF titleholder Charles Oliveira at UFC 331 next month. Tsarukyan defeated Oliveira in a closely contested matchup at UFC 300 earlier in their careers.
After his short-notice withdrawal from his fight against then-UFC lightweight champ Islam Makhachev at UFC 311, Tsarukyan’s path back to the title has hit multiple delays. In recent weeks, it was reported by multiple outlets that the UFC was working on a rematch between Tsarukyan and Oliveira at UFC 331.
But after the UFC’s recent fight card announcement, Tsarukyan will fight a new name in the UFC 331 five-round co-main event.
Arman Tsarukyan booked for five-rounder vs. streaking contender in new UFC 331 matchup
The UFC announced on Wednesday that Tsarukyan will face surging lightweight Mauricio Ruffy (14-2-0) at UFC 331 next month in Los Angeles. The fight will be contested over five rounds, with a likely title shot on the line for the winner.
Ruffy returns to the Octagon after back-to-back knockouts against Rafael Fiziev and Michael Chandler earlier this year. The Dana White’s Contender Series standout is 5-1 in his UFC tenure, with the lone misstep coming against Benoit Saint-Denis in September.
Tsarukyan enters UFC 331 on a five-fight winning streak since a unanimous decision loss to Mateusz Gamrot in June 2022. He’s earned knockouts of Beneil Dariush and Joaquim Silva during his current streak.
UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje will likely keep a keen eye on the UFC 331 co-main event. After defeating Ilia Topuria at the White House, Gaethje’s return date and opponent remain uncertain.
UFC 331 is headlined by a flyweight title rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja at the Intuit Dome.
What is your prediction for Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
