Armenian fighter Arman Tsarukyan (24-3) scored an impressive victory in the co-main event of UFC 331 in Los Angeles, knocking out Brazilian Mauricio Ruffy (14-3), one of the top contenders in the lightweight division, right at the end of the first round.
The fight ended at 4:56 of the first round, just four seconds before the gong. In the closing stretch of the five-minute period, Tsarukyan landed two powerful elbows in the clinch: the first seriously rocked Ruffy, and after the second the Brazilian fell to the ground, with the referee immediately stopping the fight.
Before that moment, the bout had been fairly competitive. Ruffy successfully defended against takedown attempts and landed several dangerous strikes on the feet, while Tsarukyan constantly applied pressure, tried to use his wrestling and kept his opponent near the fence. However, one moment in the final seconds of the round completely decided the outcome of the fight.
After the victory, Tsarukyan immediately made clear what he wants next. Arman stated that he understood he needed an early win to finally solidify his ambitions for a title fight. After his previous five consecutive victories, this knockout became his sixth straight win.
Now Tsarukyan's title claim looks extremely weighty. Before UFC 331, Dana White was unwilling to guarantee Arman a title fight even if he beat Ruffy, but Tsarukyan did exactly what was required of him, stopping one of the division's most dangerous strikers in the first round.
It is worth noting that legendary kickboxer Giorgio Petrosyan was in Arman Tsarukyan's corner for this fight.
Tsarukyan's next fight should be for the title, regardless of who holds the UFC lightweight championship at that point. After the win, Arman also emphasized that it was precisely for a title opportunity that he needed such a finish.
We recall that in the same event another Armenian fighter, Edmen Shahbazyan, also scored a victory over Brazilian Bruno Ferreira. Shahbazyan won the three-round fight by unanimous decision, 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27.
This victory means more to Tsarukyan than just a sixth consecutive success. Dana White's stance of not guaranteeing a title fight made the situation difficult, and the fighter needed exactly the kind of finish that would leave no questions. The elbow knockout in the final seconds of the first round was exactly that.
Now the balance of power in the lightweight division is on the verge of a serious shift. If Tsarukyan does indeed get a title fight, competition among the division's other contenders will intensify, as the queue for a shot at the championship belt will be reshuffled once again. It remains to be seen how negotiations with UFC management will develop and whether that fight will take place in the near future.
