Arman Tsarukyan Stunned After Learning About Mauricio Ruffy’s Crotch-Grab Takedown Defense

Arman Tsarukyan may have secured a dramatic first-round knockout over Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331, but the Armenian was left completely stunned after learning about one of his opponent's bizarre grappling tactics.

Tsarukyan ultimately closed out the bout at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles with a brutal elbow combination at 4:56 of the opening round, extending his winning streak to six fights and improving his professional record to 24-3. However, before the finish, Ruffy did everything in his power to keep the fight standing, including some highly unconventional takedown defense.

An Unconventional Takedown Defense

During a post-fight stream with MMA personality Nina Marie Daniele and N3on, Tsarukyan admitted he was completely unaware of what Ruffy was doing underneath him during their wrestling exchanges.

“Did you see how Ruffy was defending takedowns? But I didn't even see that,” Tsarukyan said.

Daniele did not hesitate to give Tsarukyan an explicit breakdown of what unfolded on the canvas.

“He put his hands to like defend a takedown and he like grabbed his a---hole basically,” Daniele explained.

The revelation left Tsarukyan visibly shocked, as the elite wrestler had been focused purely on advancing position and hunting for the finish against the dangerous Brazilian striker. Ruffy, who came into the contest with a 14-3 record, managed to defend Tsarukyan’s early double-leg attempts, but his hands-on defensive tactics were not enough to save him from Tsarukyan's late-round assault.

Despite the awkward grappling encounter, Tsarukyan proved why he remains at the top of the 155-pound division. The Armenian standout adjusted on the fly, trapped Ruffy against the cage, and delivered a pair of devastating elbows to seal the victory. Tsarukyan then leaped over the Octagon fence to demand a title shot, proving that no matter what tactics his opponents try, his championship momentum is not slowing down anytime soon.