Ruffy Breaks Silence on UFC 331 KO Loss to Tsarukyan

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Mauricio Ruffy says he got careless in the final seconds of the first round against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 331, and that the lapse cost him a fight he believed he was about to finish.

Tsarukyan knocked Ruffy out with an elbow with just seconds left in round one of their lightweight title eliminator this past Saturday, September 19, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Four days later, Ruffy posted his first extended comments on the loss, taking full responsibility for how it ended.

What Went Wrong for Ruffy Against Tsarukyan

Ruffy says he had Tsarukyan hurt before the finish and expected to close the show in round two. He described feeling Tsarukyan's strength fade after landing a body shot and punches that closed his opponent's eye, and said he believed he had firm control of the fight. That confidence factored directly into the mistake that ended it. With ten seconds left in the round, Tsarukyan shot for a takedown, and Ruffy chose to stand his ground near the fence rather than create space or keep throwing. He said he wanted to make Tsarukyan pay for the attempt, but instead he relaxed defensively, which is something he normally doesn't do, and paid the price.

Ruffy did not hedge on where the blame belongs. He called the mistake completely his own, his fault and his carelessness, while also crediting Tsarukyan as an excellent fighter. He also revealed the short notice behind the camp, saying he got the call a little more than six weeks out, exactly six weeks and four days, and dedicated everything to that training window.

Where This Leaves Ruffy in the Lightweight Picture

The loss drops Ruffy to a mixed stretch after a hot run. Ruffy is now 2-2 across his last four appearances, with both defeats coming by stoppage, but the two wins in that stretch were emphatic. He rebounded with consecutive knockout victories over Michael Chandler at UFC Freedom 250 and Rafael Fiziev at UFC 325. He still sits inside the top ten at 155 pounds, holding the No. 10 ranking at lightweight, and a step down in opposition level looks likely before he gets back into eliminator territory. A matchup against fellow finisher Quillan Salkilld could make sense in early 2027.

Betting Angle

Tsarukyan went off as a clear betting favorite heading into UFC 331, with sportsbooks pricing him in the -300 to -325 range and Ruffy sitting as roughly a +250 to +260 underdog. That price reflected the market's respect for Tsarukyan's wrestling and durability against a striker still unproven on the ground, and the finish validated that read even though Ruffy had the better of the exchanges early. For bettors, the fight is a reminder that live-round moments swing fast against low-output grapplers who get comfortable at the fence. If Ruffy books a step-down opponent like Salkilld next, expect him to open as a live favorite given his finishing rate, but sportsbooks will likely bake in some hesitation until he shows he can close rounds instead of just winning exchanges.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Mauricio Ruffy lose to Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 331?

Arman Tsarukyan knocked out Mauricio Ruffy with an elbow in the final seconds of round one of their UFC 331 co-main event lightweight title eliminator on September 19, 2026, in Los Angeles.

What did Mauricio Ruffy say about the loss?

Mauricio Ruffy said he believed he had Tsarukyan hurt and was on track to finish him in round two, but admitted he got defensively careless in the final seconds of round one, calling the mistake entirely his own fault.