Ruffy admits defensive lapse cost him as Tsarukyan snatched UFC 331 KO in final seconds

Mauricio Ruffy has admitted that a moment of complacency in the final seconds of round one cost him dearly against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 331, where the Armenian lightweight landed a clinch elbow to secure a stunning late knockout.

Ruffy had the better of the opening exchanges, rocking Tsarukyan and leaving him with a badly swollen eye. The Brazilian successfully defended every takedown attempt throughout the round and, by his own account, could feel his opponent’s grip weakening with each failed shot. He was convinced the finish would come in round two.

With ten seconds remaining, Tsarukyan shot for a takedown — a move Ruffy initially welcomed. “I thought, ‘He’s going to spend a little more energy here. The second round is going to start, and I’ll knock him out,’” Ruffy said on Instagram. “There were four seconds left, so I had strikes I could have thrown. I could have gotten away from the fence, but I didn’t want to.”

Instead, Ruffy relaxed against the cage and paid for it immediately. Tsarukyan landed the elbow from the clinch and the fight was over. “I relaxed — relaxed on defense, which is what I normally don’t do,” Ruffy said. “So, I paid the price for that.”

Ruffy was candid in accepting full responsibility, while crediting his opponent. “The mistake was totally mine. It was my fault, my carelessness, and his merit. Arman is an excellent fighter.”

The 27-year-old Brazilian, who had wanted to use the fight to prove his wrestling resilience as much as his striking, also reflected on the broader lesson. “I’m learning. You’ve seen the evolution of each fight, and this fight was going very well. But I’m happy for everything that happened. It’s difficult to deal with loss and all that, but it makes us grow.”

Ruffy falls to 14-3 overall, with his only UFC losses coming against Benoit St. Denis and now Tsarukyan. He has finished four of his five UFC victories, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous strikers in the lightweight division. Tsarukyan improves to 24-3 with the win.