Arman Tsarukyan has been handed a surprising opponent for his return to the Octagon, with the lightweight contender facing Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main event of UFC 331.
Tsarukyan had been expected to face “Baddest Motherf*****” champion Charles Oliveira in a rematch of their 2024 bout, which Tsarukyan narrowly won on points. But instead, he will face a different Brazilian on 19 September: fellow contender Ruffy.
Their fight will be Tsarukyan’s first in the UFC since he stopped Dan Hooker in November, with the Armenian, 29, having gone 10-1-1 in wrestling matches since then.
Fans have theorised that Tsarukyan has not been in the UFC’s good books since he withdrew from a title shot against then-champion Islam Makhachev, with the Armenian pulling out injured on one day’s notice in January 2025.
And earlier this year, UFC president Dana White admitted at a press conference: “I’m not thrilled with Arman right now, and there’s a lot of different reasons. It’s not just the stuff that you see publicly.”
Some fans will feel this explains the No 2 lightweight’s pairing with 10th-ranked Ruffy, 30, although others speculated that Tsarukyan vs Oliveira 2 was in the works, only for Oliveira to withdraw after the death of his teammate Allan Nascimento.
Nascimento, who fought in the UFC’s flyweight division, died suddenly from an apparent heart attack this week. He was 34 years old.
“Man I can’t believe it, it seems like a f***ing lie brother, it’s crazy,” Oliveira wrote on Instagram. “I don’t even know how I’m going to get onto the mat and go to a fight knowing you’re not going to be there.
“It hurts a f***ing lot brother [...] Rest in peace and watch everything. Until after the end.”
In the main event of UFC 331, which will take place at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Joshua Van defends his flyweight title in a rematch with Alexandre Pantoja.
Pantoja was dominant as flyweight champion before losing the belt to Van in December, due to an injury inside the first 30 seconds. Van then retained the belt by stopping Tatsuro Taira in the final round of an instant classic in May.
