Daniel Cormier thinks there is a personal reason Arman Tsarukyan is fighting Mauricio Ruffy instead of getting the expected Charles Oliveira rematch at UFC 331.
Cormier said Tsarukyan told him during the UFC’s Abu Dhabi trip that Oliveira was the Los Angeles plan. The way Cormier framed it, that booking changed after the death of Oliveira’s longtime Chute Boxe teammate Allan Nascimento.
Daniel Cormier discusses why Arman Tsarukyan is now booked against Mauricio Ruffy instead of Charles Oliveira.
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“Got a main event in the co-main event yesterday. We were all expecting Arman Tsarukyan.”
“If I’m being honest, guys, Arman Tsarukyan told me in Abu Dhabi it was going to be him and Oliveira. No BMF title. It was going to be him and Oliveira fighting in Los Angeles.”
“And Arman just told me he just wants to continue to fight to essentially make himself undeniable because he wants a title opportunity.”
“Yesterday, we got that he’s fighting against Mauricio Ruffy. That’s a dangerous fight with not as much upside because Ruffy, while he is good and while he did have that great win at the White House, he doesn’t have the name value as Charles Oliveira.”
“No, it’s unfortunate because we would have loved to see him and Oliveira have a rematch. The first fight was tremendous. Arman actually hit a fan on the way to the Octagon.”
“But unfortunately, Charles’ teammate passed away and that’s why I believe at least that we’re not getting that fight because, you know, obviously those guys down there, Oliveira and their team, they’re all so close. So I think that’s why we’re not getting the Charles fight.”
“So Arman-Ruffy is going to be good though. It’s going to be an amazing fight and Los Angeles always has great fights.”
The UFC 331 shift has already reshaped the lightweight conversation. Tsarukyan vs. Ruffy is now attached to the Sept. 19 card at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the same event topped by Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2. The current UFC 331 card has the Tsarukyan-Ruffy fight slotted as a major five-round lightweight piece.
Why Oliveira Was The Obvious Rematch
Tsarukyan and Oliveira already have unfinished business even with a result on the books. Tsarukyan beat Oliveira by split decision at UFC 300 in April 2024, but Oliveira nearly ended the fight with submission threats and remained one of the division’s most dangerous names after losing the scorecards.
Tsarukyan enters this new lane at 23-3. He has wins over Oliveira, Beneil Dariush, Damir Ismagulov, Joel Alvarez, and Dan Hooker, and he has been close enough to the title picture that Cormier had already argued Tsarukyan belonged near the front of the queue.
Oliveira, a former UFC lightweight champion, has built one of the most decorated finishing resumes in UFC history. His record sits at 36-11 with 1 no contest, and the history attached to his name is exactly why Cormier saw the rematch as the bigger upside fight.
Ruffy Gets The Opportunity Instead
Ruffy is not a soft replacement. The Brazilian lightweight is now listed at 14-2, owns a heavy knockout profile, and moved into bigger conversations after his recent Michael Chandler win. He had also tried to stay ready for major lightweight chaos before another high-profile backup opportunity.
Cormier’s point was narrower than saying Ruffy is easy. He called the matchup dangerous because Tsarukyan is risking contender position against an opponent who does not yet carry Oliveira’s name value. That is the gap: Ruffy can change his career with one win, while Tsarukyan is trying to protect a title-shot argument.
The Nascimento context is the harder part of the story. Nascimento died at 34 after an apparent heart attack in his sleep. He was a UFC flyweight, a Chute Boxe teammate of Oliveira, and a 22-7 pro who went 4-2 inside the UFC. The UFC confirmed his death earlier this week, and the news hit Oliveira’s team before the Los Angeles booking could become official.
That leaves UFC 331 with a different kind of lightweight stakes. Tsarukyan no longer gets the rematch name he expected, Ruffy gets a five-round chance to break into the title lane, and Oliveira’s side has a much bigger real-life matter around the team before any next fight is discussed.
