Mauricio Ruffy put lightweight champ Islam Makhachev on notice after a flawless debut at UFC 301.
Ruffy picked apart Australian veteran Jamie Mullarkey on the feet to score a first-round TKO win in front of his home fans at the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night. “One Shot” issued a warning to Makhachev in his post-fight interview, reminding the champ of his Dana White's Contender Series win over Raimond Magomedaliev.
"I have a message for Islam Makhachev, a nice message,” Ruffy said. “Hey, enjoy your days at the top. I know you are upset because I beat your friend, but enjoy your days because a new king is coming."
In addition to a stance that was somewhat similar to Conor McGregor’s, Ruffy’s striking and focus also drew comparisons with “Notorious” from UFC analyst Din Thomas during the broadcast. Ruffy is welcoming comparisons to the biggest star in the history of the sport.
“I don’t mind being compared to Conor McGregor,” he said during a post-fight media scrum. “The guy had a great history in the UFC. I try to mirror myself in him. He’s the guy who’s taught everyone how to make money in fights. So yeah, thanks everyone who’s saying that.”
Meanwhile Makhachev looks to make his third lightweight title defense against Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 302 on June 1 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
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