Cormier On Tsarukyan After UFC 331 Finish

Daniel Cormier believes Arman Tsarukyan secured his lightweight title shot in emphatic fashion at UFC 331.

Tsarukyan knocked Mauricio Ruffy unconscious with a first-round elbow in the co-main event Saturday night, per BJPenn.com. The finish put an exclamation point on the Armenian's case for a championship opportunity after months of jockeying for position outside the octagon.

Cormier Credits Tsarukyan's Rise Outside UFC

Cormier praised Tsarukyan's ability to build his profile through wrestling appearances, boxing exhibitions, grappling matches, and streaming content while waiting for his next cage assignment. "Arman managed to go off into the world, make himself undeniable in a way that didn't even take him fighting inside of the octagon," Cormier said on his YouTube channel, as quoted by MMA Junkie. "That's hard to do."

The former two-division champion noted that many questioned why Tsarukyan would risk everything against Ruffy, a dangerous finisher coming off a win over Benoit Saint Denis. But Tsarukyan found the knockout nobody expected. "He needed to find a way to secure his position as the No. 1 contender," Cormier said. "And tonight, once again, he did everything right and won in a way where he's made himself undeniable."

Cormier also pointed to the crowd reaction and the visible interest from UFC brass when Tsarukyan walked to the cage as evidence the promotion sees him as a legitimate draw. No title fight has been officially announced, but Tsarukyan is now the clear next challenger at 155 pounds.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Daniel Cormier believes Arman Tsarukyan is undeniable after UFC 331 win