Ruffy Channels Liddell In Brutal UFC 331 Prep

Mauricio Ruffy is channeling UFC legend Chuck Liddell ahead of his September showdown with Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 331.

The Brazilian lightweight showed up to a recent training session wearing the "Iceman" shorts that became synonymous with Liddell's knockout power, per MMA Mania. Footage from the gym showed Ruffy launching a spinning back kick violent enough to send a training pad flying out of the cage — perhaps a preview of what he has planned for Tsarukyan.

Ruffy Lands Co-Main Slot After Oliveira Pulled

Ruffy stepped into the co-main event after Charles Oliveira withdrew from his scheduled bout with Tsarukyan earlier this month. The timing of Oliveira's removal fueled speculation that it may have been connected to the recent death of his teammate, fellow UFC fighter Allan Nascimento.

The matchup represents a major opportunity for Ruffy to crack the lightweight title picture by derailing Tsarukyan, who has won five straight dating back to 2022. Ruffy has said publicly that beating Tsarukyan would put him "straight to the title," according to the report.

UFC 331 goes down in September with a flyweight title rematch between Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Asakura headlining the card.

Original reporting:

• mmamania.com — Mauricio Ruffy wears Chuck Liddell shorts during violent UFC 331 training session | MMA Mania