UFC coach predicts Mauricio Ruffy will knock out Arman Tsarukyan

Mauricio Ruffy faces Arman Tsarukyan in the co-headliner of UFC 331 as a significant underdog, but his coaching team is bullish on his chances to pull off an upset. Ruffy's former coach at Fighting Nerds, Pablo Sucupira, and his new mentor, UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, believe the Brazilian has the tools not just to win but to make a statement.

Sucupira argues that market odds may overvalue Ruffy's loss to Benoit St. Denis, in which he was taken down and finished. He points out that elite wrestlers Michael Chandler and Rafael Fiziev also failed to secure takedowns against Ruffy, suggesting the St. Denis result was an outlier. "I don't just think Ruffy is going to win; I think he's going to send a message by knocking Arman out," Sucupira told Sherdog.

Volkanovski, who has trained extensively with Ruffy in preparation for the bout, highlighted dramatic improvements in his teammate's takedown defense. "He is on another level concerning takedown defense," Volkanovski said in the UFC 331 "Countdown" preview. He emphasized that if Tsarukyan cannot land his signature takeshots—typically his primary path to victory—Ruffy's striking will pose an overwhelming problem. Both coaches frame the matchup as Ruffy's opportunity to prove he belongs among the division's elite, provided his wrestling defense holds up against one of the UFC's most accomplished grapplers.