Mauricio Ruffy was not very happy with the reporters questioning him and Alexander Volkanovski’s wrestling credentials ahead of his UFC 331 fight against Arman Tsarukyan <\/p>\n
Rising lightweight contender Mauricio Ruffy<\/a> is gearing up for the ultimate trial by fire at UFC 331,<\/a> stepping up to take on top-ranked contender Arman Tsarukyan in a high-stakes co-main event at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. To prepare for Tsarukyan\u2019s relentless, wrestling-heavy approach, the Brazilian striker packed his bags and spent nearly four weeks down under in Australia, sharpening his skill set alongside former UFC <\/a>Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski.<\/p>\n The decision raised a few eyebrows across the MMA community. Pundits and fellow fighters, including former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, openly questioned whether training with striking-centric partners would be enough to prepare Ruffy<\/a> for the suffocating chain-wrestling of Tsarukyan. Possessing a stellar 23-3 professional MMA record, Tsarukyan is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous, grinding grapplers in the entire 155-pound division.<\/p>\n Confidence in Down Under Preparation<\/p>\n Completely unfazed by the skepticism<\/a>, Ruffy doubled down on his preparation during fight week media obligations. The 30-year-old striker made it crystal clear that his takedown defense and mat skills are far beyond what critics, or his opponent, expect.<\/p>\n “If you’re so confident that your wrestling can beat me, I’m just as confident. We’re going to see on Saturday who’s going to come out on top,” Ruffy declared.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ruffy, who enters the Octagon with a 14-2 professional record, didn’t just work with Volkanovski in Australia; he also logged valuable rounds on the mat with former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. Volkanovski, who famously pushed lightweight champion Islam Makhachev<\/a> to his absolute limits on the canvas, will even be making the trip Stateside to corner Ruffy on Saturday night. Adesanya has already publicly backed Ruffy to deliver a stunning upset finish.<\/p>\n