Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is back in Los Angeles, Calif., as UFC 331 goes down from inside Crypto.com Arena, featuring a men’s Flyweight title fight rematch between division champion, Joshua Van, against former 125-pound kingpin, Alexandre Pantoja. In the co-main event, Arman Tsarukyan will battle Mauricio Ruffy in an intriguing five-round Lightweight bout live on Paramount+.
What time does UFC 331? TONIGHT (Sat., Sept. 19, 2026), beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
Where will UFC 331 take place? Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.
How can I watch UFC 331? The Paramount+ Prelims” matches online are scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
How do I bet on UFC 331? Checkout the latest lines right here.
Where can I get live UFC 331 updates and results? Get full UFC 331 play-by-play updates and live coverage here!
The first meeting between Van vs. Pantoja was very anticlimactic after an injury ended the fight in the first 26 seconds of the bout, costing Pantoja his strap (see it again here). That said, Van proved that he’s deserving of being called champion after defending his title in a dominant performance over Tatsuro Taira five months later, his seventh straight win. Now, Van wants to leave no doubt that he’s the better fighter of the two with a more convincing and conclusive win. Sadly, we can’t take much from the first encounter since it ended so quickly, but the motivation isn’t lacking for Van, and he has already trained once for Pantoja so he knows what he has to do to get the job done.
As for Pantoja, he is also very motivated to reclaim the crown he lost thanks to the freak injury, which also snapped his eight-fight win streak. Indeed, the Brazilian bruiser had not lost a fight since 2020, so the defeat stung in more ways than one. And you also can’t blame Pantoja for being upset at Van for parading his belt around. A loss is a loss on the record books, but the manner in which Pantoja lost it obviously makes him feel some type of way. That said, should Pantoja prove victorious, he will likely be unable to put the drama behind him because a trilogy fight could very well be possible to keep things fair. This is an exciting matchup and we will hopefully get to see a longer, drawn-out battle to see who walks away with bragging rights with no associated asterisks.
Original Card Vs. Actual Card/Injuries
Brian Ortega vs. Renato Moicano were set to rematch at this event before Ortega had to once again bow out of the fight with an injury. It was a tough blow for not only the fighters, but for the entire event seeing as how it was one of the most-anticipated bouts on the card. As a result, Moicano will now face Tom Nolan at UFC Vegas 123 next month (Sat., Oct. 31, 2026), while Ortega will have to regroup and get healthy for his comeback tour.
No newcomers slated for this event!
How The ‘Prelims’ Look:
Marlon Vera needs a win in the worst way. UFC’s former Bantamweight title contender is currently on a four-fight losing streak and has lost five of his last six. It’s a drastic downfall for a man who competed for the strap against Sean O’Malley just two years ago. Since that defeat, he has gone downhill and one more loss could mark the end for him with the promotion, which is why perhaps he felt it was time to switch trainers. The man looking to send him packing will be Charles Jourdain, who has won three straight (weird matchmaking). A win for Jourdain would finally get him his long-awaited spot in the Top 15, while a victory for “Chito” would give him some breathing room.
Michael Aswell’s run under UFC’s banner has not been great. He is just 1-3 in his first four fights, so he has a ton of pressure to prevent his third straight defeat when he battles Joo Sang Yoo in a Featherweight affair. Yoo Came out strong in his debut, knocking out Jeka Saragih; however, he was then stopped in his second fight by Daniel Santos.
Ryan Gandra is currently enjoying a nine-fight win streak, which includes taking his first two fights under UFC’s banner via first round knockout. To make it even sweeter, those two fights combined for 1:56 of combined fight time, so he is a real “Problema.” Up next for him is Osman Diaz, who is just 1-2 inside the Octagon. He was last seen getting knocked out by Ateba Abega Gautier, giving him his second knockout defeat inside the Octagon. When you combine that with the fact that Gandra is a finishing machine, it doesn’t look good for Diaz on paper.
Just when Edmen Shahbazyan was starting to find his groove again, he saw his three-fight win streak go out the window after Brendan Allen put it on him this past summer. Now, Ronda Rousey’s former training partner will attempt to right his ship when he battles Brunno Ferreira, who has lost two in a row. When you have two men desperate for a win, it could produce fireworks.
In women’s Flyweight action, Casey O’Neill will battle Eduarda Moura. O’Neill has won two straight and is a respectable 6-2 under UFC’s banner. As for Moura, she has been unable to get much going so far in her UFC career, going just 3-2. She was last seen losing to Wang Cong.
Giga Chikadzee was supposed to be a legitimate Lightweight title contender when he first burst onto UFC’s scene. After all, he won his first seven fights in impressive fashion, which included knockout wins over the likes of Edson Barboza and Cub Swanson. But, “Ninja” has fallen on hard times inside the Octagon since that run. He has lost four of his last five fights and is currently on a three-fight losing streak. He went from potential title contender to opening the entire card on the “Prelims.” He will look to begin his run back to relevancy when he battles Joanderson Brito, the long-time mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran who is riding a two-fight win streak. There is no telling if Chikadzee will get his walking papers with a loss, but it would behoove him not to risk it.
If you thought Marlon Vera’s losing streak was bad, it is nothing compared to Tai Tuivasa’s. The big man has lost his last seven fights inside the Octagon, with his last win coming way back in 2022. So, you can’t blame those who criticized UFC for cutting Michael Page, who went a very respectable 5-1 with the promotion, while keeping “Bam Bam” around despite his Bobb Sapp-like losing streak. Tuivasa will have another huge hurdle standing in his way in the form of Robelis Despaigne, who is making his return to the Octagon after a violently brief run outside of the promotion. Despaigne was cut by UFC in 2024 after losing two straight, and competed on local promotions as well in Karate Combat. He was last seen destroying Junior dos Santos at MVP MMA 1, which makes you wonder if UFC decided to re-sign him just to spite Jake Paul. Whatever the case may be, Despaigne is looking to make the most of his second chance. And should he defeat Tuivasa, it could be the end of the UFC road for “Bam Bam.”
Ten months after his last UFC fight, Tsarukyan will put his side quests on hold to return to the Octagon on his hunt to earn a world title fight. Tsarukyan has long been the man left out of the championship picture ever since he had to withdraw for his title fight against Islam Makhachev last-minute back in 2025. He also reportedly declined a fight in Abu Dhabi, something that didn’t sit right with Dana White. And if you know UFC’s CEO, he can hold a grudge longer than anyone. Nevertheless, he has a chance to perhaps give White and UFC matchmakers no other choice but to put him at least in the conversation with an impressive win against Ruffy. Speaking of which, Ruffy is also on the hunt for gold. He is 5-1 inside the Octagon and is coming off a big win over Michael Chandler at UFC Freedom 250 (see it here), giving him his second straight win. He is currently ranked No. 7, but a win here should put him in the Top 3. This is a great matchup to see who can make a case for himself for a championship fight.
In his UFC debut fight, Gable Steveson was impressive, stopping Elisha Ellison via first round knockout at UFC 329, bringing his record to 4-0 with four first round stoppages. The wrestling powerhouse has lived up to the hype so far, and training alongside Jon Jones will only make him better and that much more dangerous for future foes. His next challenge comes in the form of Sean Sharaf. It’s easy to see that UFC is being careful with Steveson and not trying to throw to much at him because Sharaf is winless (0-2) inside the Octagon. The odds simply are not in his favor, but if he can somehow shock Steveson he will earn a new lease on his UFC career. A loss, however, will likely send him packing. Steveson has a chance to show out once again, this time on a main card slot on a big UFC event against a man who has already gotten under his skin by making it personal. Should he drop the ball somehow, it would set his progress back immensely.
Patricio Pitbull has been unable to find his rhythm inside the Octagon. After losing his debut fight against Yair Rodriguez, he did bounce back with a win over Dan Ige, only to lose to his former Bellator MMA stablemate, Aaron Pico, in the following bout. If the pattern holds, he is due for a win; however, Doo Ho Choi isn’t about to play ball. Choi is currently on a four-fight unbeaten streak and his his eyes set on a Top 15 ranking. Defeating the No. 15 guy at Featherweight will certainly do that. I like this fight a lot because both men get after it, and while Pitbull may not be as young and as explosive as he used to be he still brings it.
Alonzo Menifield has been fighting for UFC for seven years and he will get his second chance to fight on the main card of a numbered event. He is 3-1 in his last four outings and was last seen defeating Zhang Mingyang via a monstrous first round technical knockout (see it here). He will look to keep his momentum going as he battles Iwo Baraniewski, who has been nothing short of impressive under UFC’s banner. He is 3-0 with the promotion with three first round stoppages, and is 9-0 overall as a professional. And, yes, he has finished every single one of his opponents in the opening frame. If he can do the same to Menifield, it would be a huge statement.
UFC 331 Main Event on Paramount+:
125 lbs.: UFC Flyweight champion Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2
UFC 331 Main Card on Paramount+ (9 p.m. ET):
155 lbs.: Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy (five-round fight)
145 lbs.: Patricio Pitbull vs. Doo Ho Choi155 lbs.: Renato Moicano vs. Brian Ortega 2 (Canceled!)
205 lbs.: Iwo Baraniewski vs. Alonzo Menifield
265 lbs.: Gable Steveson vs. Sean Sharaf
What is the origin of your username here on MMA Mania?
Mine is pretty obvious. And, honestly, I can’t remember the tag I used before I started writing at SBNation some ten years ago. Elsewhere I use the tag ‘timespyre’ mostly because it’s not taken anywhere and I kinda hate putting numbers and underscores into things. And I like it because it’s not clear if it means time spyre (like spire) or time’s pyre. And it’s got Tim in it.
I’ve probably used Timbo Slice somewhere, too…
Enough about me, though, tell me the story of your name!
UFC 331 ‘Prelims’ Card on Paramount+ (7 p.m. ET):
135 lbs.: Charles Jourdain vs. Marlon Vera
265 lbs.: Tai Tuivasa vs. Robelis Despaigne
145 lbs.: Michael Aswell Jr. vs. Joo Sang Yoo
185 lbs.: Ryan Gandra vs. Ozzy Diaz
UFC 331 Early ‘Prelims’ Card on Paramount+ (5:30 p.m. ET):
185 lbs.: Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Brunno Ferreira
125 lbs.: Casey O’Neill vs. Eduarda Moura
145 lbs.: Giga Chikadze vs. Joanderson Brito
*Fight card, bout order and number of fights subject to change.*
