The lightweight division has undergone an unexpected turn. When everything pointed to Arman Tsarukyan and Charles Oliveira meeting again at UFC 331, the tragedy that has struck the Brazilian's team has completely changed plans. Oliveira decided to step aside after the death of his friend and teammate Allan Nascimento, vacating one of the most anticipated fights in the category.
The UFC reacted quickly and found a replacement in Mauricio Ruffy, one of the names with the greatest projection in lightweight. The Brazilian accepted the most important challenge of his career and will probably have in front of him the least favorable opponent he could imagine.
If Tsarukyan has shown anything in recent years, it is that he belongs to the absolute elite of fighting within the UFC. His ability to change levels, chain takedowns and control from the dominant position has allowed him to compete head-to-head with some of the best lightweights on the planet. Very few fighters manage to get up when the Armenian manages to impose his pace.
Precisely there appears the great unknown of the combat.
Ruffy has earned recognition from fans for his explosive, creative and highly aggressive striking. His hand speed, long combinations and ability to finish have led many to consider him one of the division's future stars. However, his biggest question mark remains far from stand-up exchanges.
His loss to Benoît Saint Denis exposed important shortcomings in wrestling and grappling. That fight showed that, when an opponent manages to impose takedowns and control positions on the ground, Ruffy still has a lot of room for improvement. Saint Denis ended up submitting him after clearly dominating that facet of the fight, a circumstance that now becomes even more important considering the opponent in front of him.
And if there is a fighter specially prepared to exploit those types of weaknesses, that is Arman Tsarukyan.
The Armenian is considered one of the best wrestlers in the entire UFC. His constant pressure, ease of chaining takedowns and his enormous positional control mean that very few opponents can develop their fight plan when they manage to lock them against the cage or take them to the canvas.
That does not mean that the fight is decided.
Ruffy possesses a speed and power capable of changing any fight with a single punch. If he manages to keep his distance and avoid takedowns during the first few minutes, he will have a real chance of surprise. However, the longer the fight lasts and the more opportunities Tsarukyan has to impose his fight, the more favorable the confrontation seems for the Armenian.
The fight also represents a huge opportunity for both.
Tsarukyan needs to get back to the front line for the title after several months away from the conversation. A win would bolster his bid to receive another important opportunity within the division.
For Mauricio Ruffy, on the other hand, it is a gigantic leap. In just a few weeks he has gone from being one of the great promises of lightweight to having in front of him one of the most complete rivals in the entire category. Winning would completely change his career.
The fight was born from circumstances that no one would have wanted. The death of Allan Nascimento forced the plans planned for UFC 331 to be modified, but it has also led to a confrontation with a lot of sporting interest.
Now all eyes will be on Mauricio Ruffy.
His striking has already convinced a good part of the fans. What is still to be shown is whether he has managed to evolve enough in the fight and the ground to survive against one of the best grapplers that currently exist in the UFC.
The challenge could not be greater. And precisely for this reason, this will be the most important test of his entire career.