Tsarukyan Fires Back At Pimblett After UFC 331 KO

Arman Tsarukyan rejected Paddy Pimblett's critique of his first-round knockout at UFC 331, insisting Mauricio Ruffy stood no chance regardless of how the fight unfolded.

Tsarukyan flattened Ruffy with a vicious elbow in the opening frame Saturday night, cementing his status as the top lightweight contender. The finish drew criticism from Pimblett, who told fans on his YouTube channel that the Armenian looked poor before the elbow landed and suggested Ruffy might have won had the bout reached the later rounds, per BJPenn.com.

Tsarukyan dismissed that assessment when speaking with Ariel Helwani. "I know Ruffy that night wouldn't beat me anywhere. If not that elbow, the second round could be a submission, and the third round could be a TKO," he said. The lightweight contender added that Pimblett himself would have lost to Ruffy in a striking match, calling the Brazilian the best striker in the 155-pound division.

Tsarukyan believes his wrestling threat opened up the knockout opportunity. He explained that mixing disciplines allows fighters to exploit openings created by opponents bracing for takedowns, which is what happened against Ruffy.

The back-and-forth between the two lightweights sets up a potential matchup down the line. Tsarukyan is angling for a title shot against Justin Gaethje, whose future remains uncertain after his win over Ilia Topuria, while Pimblett continues climbing the rankings.