Arman Tsarukyan is ranked second in the lightweight division. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Arman Tsarukyan , it seems, will not have an easy night at UFC 331 , scheduled for September 19th. The Armenian faces Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main event, and although his takedown game is pointed out as one of the Armenian's main weapons and a weakness of the former nerd, Joe Lopez, the Brazilian's new coach, explained why the 'Batman of MMA' may find it difficult to impose his style.
In an interview with 'Submission Radio', Lopez assessed that Tsarukyan will have a hard time controlling Ruffy for all five rounds and turning the fight into a predominantly grappling match. In the coach's view, the Brazilian possesses physical attributes that could hinder his opponent's strategy.
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“Arman is going to have his work cut out for him. It’s not going to be one of those things where he just keeps Luffy on the ground for five rounds and makes the fight ugly. I can’t imagine that happening. You can never say never, but just watching Luffy and the way he moves, plus he’s very athletic, it’s clear he’s a very strong and athletic guy. He wants to learn and he picks things up very quickly,” said Joe Lopez.
Mauricio Ruffy and Arman Tsarukyan face each other at UFC 331
The highly anticipated duel between Mauricio Ruffy and Arman Tsarukyan , scheduled for UFC 331 , pits two completely opposite approaches against each other in the lightweight division (up to 70,3 kg). On one side, the efficiency and versatility on his feet of the Brazilian against the strong grappling and wrestling pressure of the division's number one.
Ruffy relies on his high striking accuracy and knockout record, with 13 knockout victories in his career and an average of 4.19 significant strikes per minute, while Tsarukyan counters with a solid average of 3.26 takedowns per fight and his greater experience facing the division's elite.
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