UFC 331: Arman Tsarukyan returns to the site of his squandered title shot in hopes of earning another — SkimNews
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- Arman Tsarukyan withdrew from his UFC 311 lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev one day before the January 2025 event in Los Angeles, losing the trust of UFC brass and fans.
- Tsarukyan rebuilt his profile through streaming collaborations with Nina Drama and N3on and freestyle wrestling competitions, growing into a bigger star by the time of his UFC 331 return.
- Tsarukyan (No. 2) faces No. 7 Mauricio Ruffy on Saturday, a fight he calls "an enormous gamble" where a loss could end his championship aspirations.
- Paddy Pimblett, Quillan Salkilld, and Salahdine Parnasse are among contenders closing in on Tsarukyan's No. 2 spot in the stacked lightweight division.
- Justin Gaethje has dismissed Tsarukyan, accusing him of faking the injury that removed him from UFC 311 and telling Demetrious Johnson he hoped Ruffy punches Tsarukyan "so hard."
- Mauricio Ruffy struggled badly with Benoit Saint Denis' grappling one year ago and has since trained with featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski in Australia; Tsarukyan doubts one year can close that gap.
- Tsarukyan opposes an immediate Gaethje-Topuria rematch, saying Topuria doesn't deserve it because Gaethje "mauled him and finished him."
Why it matters: A loss for Tsarukyan at UFC 331 likely ends his title trajectory, and the lightweight division is crowded with Pimblett, Salkilld, and Parnasse nipping at his No. 2 ranking. His rebuilt streaming and wrestling profile cushioned the fall from the UFC 311 withdrawal, but champion Gaethje's public dismissiveness signals the belt won't simply be handed back.
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