Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy meet in the UFC 331 co-feature Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
- Last event's results: 1-5
- UFC main cards, 2026: 101-60-1
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy UFC 331 preview
Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) returns to the UFC's octagon for the first time since last November, where he submitted Dan Hooker. Since then, Tsarukyan has been very busy on the wrestling mats, but now has the opportunity to stake his claim for a lightweight title shot with a big win.
Ruffy (14-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) enters on a two-fight winning streak that includes stoppages of Rafael Fiziev and Michael Chandler. The former earned a Performance of the Night bonus, while the latter came on a massive platform at UFC Freedom 250 on the White House lawn.
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy UFC 331 expert pick, prediction
The co-main
event for UFC 331 features a potential title eliminator at lightweight between Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy.
Although this would've been a more cemented No. 1 contender's fight if the initial Charles Oliveira rematch booking stayed intact, Ruffy still has a chance to steal a proverbial base should he upset Tsarukyan with another highlight-reel win.
A Brazilian Conor McGregor who operates out of an orthodox stance, Ruffy certainly has the style to punish a shorter Tsarukyan on his entries. Add in the fact that Ruffy has been sharpening his grappling with the likes of Alexander Volkanovski, and I wouldn't be surprised to see improvements from the 30-year-old.
That said, I suspect that all the travel Ruffy had to do for what was ultimately a short-notice camp could be a significant hurdle, considering this is his first five-round affair. Couple that with Tsarukyan's clear pathway to win on the floor, and I have a hard time picking against the favorite in this spot.
The pick is Tsarukyan to force a stoppage via strikes by the start of Round 3.
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy UFC 331 odds
The oddsmakers and the public favor the Armenian fighter, listing Tsarukyan -320 and Ruffy +245 via FanDuel.
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy UFC 331 start time, how to watch
As the co-main event, Tsarukyan and Ruffy are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 10:40 p.m. ET. The fight streams live on Paramount+.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy prediction, pick, time for UFC 331
