Arman Tsarukyan VS Maurício Ruffy

Arman Tsarukyan stopped Maurício Ruffy by TKO via elbow at 4:56 of round one in the co-main event of UFC 331 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Tsarukyan clinched Ruffy against the cage late in the opening frame and, after both men traded elbows in close, reversed position and landed a left elbow flush to Ruffy's eye that put him down unconscious. Ruffy had looked dangerous early, landing a sharp right hand that buckled Tsarukyan and left visible swelling under his left eye, but Tsarukyan's clinch control and elbow precision ultimately proved decisive. The win pushed Tsarukyan's record to 24-3 and extended his current win streak to six, strengthening his case for the next UFC lightweight title shot. After the finish, Tsarukyan stated: "For my next fight, the title fight, I needed that finish and I knew that I would finish him."

Arman Tsarukyan puts a title shot on the line in a five-round co-main against Mauricio Ruffy, one of the division's most dangerous finishers. Tsarukyan has said openly that losing here likely ends his championship hopes, while Ruffy — who has stopped the likes of Chandler and Fiziev — is a legitimate threat to end the night early for anyone he touches. The clash of elite wrestling against elite striking power makes this matchup the most stylistically compelling fight on the card.