Mike Perry mocks Mauricio Ruffy following knockout loss at UFC 331
Mauricio Ruffy was on the wrong end of a highlight-reel knockout at UFC 331.
The game plan was simple for Ruffy: prevent Arman Tsarukyan from having success with his grappling, keep the fight standing, and put his elite striking on full display. Taking nothing away from the Brazilian’s top-tier, visually appealing striking, he was simply outclassed on Saturday night by the better fighter, who landed a devastating elbow to bring an end to the fight.
Everybody reacts differently to being knocked out. Sometimes you get a Johnny Walker-esque comedic fall; other times it’s reminiscent of Edson Barboza’s finish of Terry Etim, a fighter’s entire body going stiff. And then, there’s everything in between. But after being stopped by Arman Tsarukyan, Ruffy gave internet trolls a timeless meme; one of those trolls being Mike Perry.
Mauricio Ruffy collapsed to the canvas after Tsarukyan’s elbow, and while being attended to on the floor, he was caught gently smiling and looking off into the distance. The visual drew comparisons with Carlos Prates’ one-punch knockout against Leon Edwards, who too was staring off into the abyss.
Seeing a fan favorite, fun athlete get violently knocked unconscious is always going to be a little unsettling for some, but Mike Perry did a great job of taking the edge off and adding a comedic side.
Alongside the hilarious video, Perry shared his opinion in the caption. ‘Platinum’ believes the smile from Ruffy was just relief, knowing now he doesn’t have the weight of the world on his shoulders and can be happy just existing within the UFC. He said:
“When you at the top it’s so easy to stumble, to be there and continue to conquer is a feeling we can all remember from a time we’ve had. The smile was relief, he doesn’t have to be the best anymore. He can just compete now.”
Watch Perry mock Ruffy in the video below.