"He's scared and won't say my name." Tsarukyan knocked out Ruffy and challenged Gagee

UFC 331 in Los Angeles was a real test of strength for the contender from the light division. Arman Tsarukyan entered the octagon with a clear task: not just to win, but to do it as effectively as possible so that the leader of the promotion Dan White did not have a single chance to ignore his claims to the title fight. Rival 29-year-old, Brazilian Mauricio Ruffi, had a reputation for a dangerous knockouter, able to single-handedly destroy any championship ambitions. However, the Armenian fighter demonstrated from the first seconds that his intelligence and physical readiness were at a level beyond the opponent’s reach.

The beginning of the fight was not the most calm way for Armand. Ruffy felt confident in the stand, competently controlled the distance and even was able to apply a heavy, sweeping combination, from which Tsarukyan slightly sat down, but avoided knockdown. When he tried to transfer the fight to the ground, the Brazilian used a cunning jitser switch, sticking his hand under the opponent’s thigh and using it as a lever for successful defense. Mauricio's plan seemed to work, and the first round would be in a viscous, exhausting fight without the apparent dominance of either side.

But the real character of the champion manifests itself in turning points, and Tsarukyan brilliantly proved it. He continued to methodically pressure Ruffy, pressing him against the net and exhausting him in a tight clinch, despite receiving tough blows in response. The denouement came in the last seconds of the starting five minutes, when everyone was already preparing for the gong. Armand suddenly detached the grip, rushed to attack and, taking advantage of the fact that the opponent lowered his hands to defend against takedown, struck a crushing blow with his elbow. Ruffy's head was left unprotected and he collapsed on the flooring unconscious four seconds before the end of the stretch.

This fantastic victory of the Armenian fighter instantly translated talk of a title fight from the plane of theoretical reasoning into practical. Immediately after the fight, still impressed by the triumph, Tsarukyan did not go around the bush and challenged the current champion of his division, Justin Gagee, right in the octagon. His words sounded harsh, uncompromising and without a shadow of a doubt in his own rightness: Geigi, you never said my name. You were afraid and you wanted Ruffy to knock me out. Are you trying to avoid this fight to induce Topuria? Either you want to say you need $15 million for our fight, or you want to end your career. You're playing shit games. So you either fight me for the belt or you free him to give the younger contenders a chance.

The accusations against Gagee sound like they could not be more justified in the current context of the division. The reigning champion does behave extremely cautiously, preferring to keep quiet about a potential No.1 contender. According to Tsarukyan, Justin is deliberately looking for any legitimate reason not to go out to fight with him. Whether it’s demanding an astronomical fee of $15 million, trying to organize a fight with other rivals like Ilia Topuria, or making loud statements about the imminent termination of a sports career.

Armand made his conditions clear, leaving no room for the champion to maneuver. This position is supported not only by loud words, but also by impeccable statistics and spectacular style of their victories. After the fight, Tsarukyan joked that his next fight will be either for the championship belt or against Mark Zuckerberg, but this joke hides an absolutely serious mood. He knows he's done a great job, and now he's demanding a well-deserved reward that he's entitled to.

Now the case is solely on Justin Gage's side. Arman Tsarukyan did everything that was required of him: he passed a dangerous opponent, showed a spectacular finish and unequivocally declared his rights to the throne of the light division. To ignore such a challenge would be to acknowledge one’s own weakness. Fans and experts unanimously recognize Armand as the main contender, and now it is required from the champion either the courage to accept the fight or the honesty to give way to those who are really ready to fight for UFC gold.