Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is live TONIGHT (Sat., Sept. 19, 2026) with UFC 331 taking place at crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Ca., streaming exclusively live on Paramount+. The main event is a rematch for the UFC Flyweight title with Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2.
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Joshua Van gets a chance to defend his UFC Flyweight title for the second time tonight when he meets former champion Alexandre Pantoja. Van was, of course, awarded the belt after Pantoja went down with an arm injury early in their first fight last year. Since then Van solidified his title as champion by beating Tatsuro Taira in one of the fights of the year. This is Pantoja’s first fight back since suffering that arm injury.
The co-main event tonight is a five round non-title fight in the Lightweight division. Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy could fast-track someone to a title shot with Justin Gaethje. For Tsarukyan that would be his second title shot, if you count the one he lost on weigh-in day (due to a back injury) before he was supposed to fight Islam Makhachev. Ruffy has never been this close to a title shot, but a win here on the back of his White House demolition job on Michael Chandler would be a big statement.
What’s your pick for Tsarukyan vs. Ruffy at UFC 331?
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The main card is rounded out by Patricio Pitbull vs. Doohoo Choi, Alonzo Menifield vs. Iwo Baraniewski and Gable Steveson vs. Sean Sharaf. This will be Pitbull’s final fight on his current UFC deal. Iwo Baraniewski is worth keeping tabs on. He’s won all his UFC fights so far in electrifying fashion. Steveson is, again, on course to be one of the biggest favorites in MMA betting history, that’s in spite of him being just 4-0 as a pro.
The Featured ‘Prelim’ tonight is Marlon Vera vs. Charles Jourdain in the Bantamweight division. That portion of the card also has Robelis Despaigne vs. Tai Tuivasa, Michael Aswell vs. Joo Sang Yoo and Ryan Gandra vs. Ozzy Diaz.
The Early ‘Prelims’ kick us off with Giga Chikadze vs. Joanderson Brito. The early part of the show also includes Casey O’Neill vs. Eduarda Moura and Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Brunno Ferreira.
UFC 331 Start Date and Time
It’s standard operating procedure tonight. Here’s when the various portions of the latest numbered event goes live:
UFC 331’s Early “Prelims” will begin at 5:30 p.m. ET.UFC 331’s Late “Prelims” are scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET.UFC 331’s PLE main card goes live at 9 p.m. ET.All of UFC 331 airs on Paramount+, which you can stream here.
The live blog will get underway at 5:30 p.m. ET, just before the first fight. Come in and chat with your fellow Maniacs in the comments.
125 lbs.: Joshua Van def. Alexandre Pantoja by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-47, 50-45)155 lbs.: Arman Tsarukyan def. Mauricio Ruffy by KO (elbows), round 1 (4:56) — HIGHLIGHTS145 lbs.: Patricio Pitbull def. Doohoo Choi by KO (punches), round 1 (3:28)265 lbs.: Sean Sharaf def. Gable Steveson by KO (punch), round 1 (0:12) — HIGHLIGHTS205 lbs.: Alonzo Menifield def. Iwo Baraniewski by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) — HIGHLIGHTS
135 lbs.: Marlon Vera def. Charles Jourdain by TKO (punch), round 3 (2:02) — HIGHLIGHTS265 lbs.: Robelis Despaigne def. Tai Tuivasa by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)145 lbs.: Michael Aswell Jr. def. Joo Sang Yoo by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)185 lbs.: Ryan Gandra def. Ozzy Diaz by TKO (punches), round 1 (2:04) — HIGHLIGHTS185 lbs.: Edmen Shahbazyan def. Brunno Ferreira by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)125 lbs.: Casey O’Neill def. Eduarda Moura by submission (armbar), round 1 (3:22) — HIGHLIGHTS145 lbs.: Joanderson Brito def. Giga Chikadze by KO (hammerfists), round 1 (0:57) — HIGHLIGHTS
UFC 331 PLAY-BY-PLAY UPDATES
Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja
Round 1: Pantoja closes and scores an immediate takedown. Van scoots back to the fence and sits up. Pantoja manages to flatten Van out and pass to mount. He might be trying a Von Flue choke. Van tries to buck him off, but he is stuck flat on his back. Van explodes to his feet, Pantoja tries to take his back, but he slides around and ends up underneath Van. Van decides to stand and they start brawling. Pantoja lands the biggest shots, including some knees. Van lands a hard jab. Van lands a nice combo and then a big slicing elbow. Pantoja gets another takedown and passes to mount quickly. He throws ground and pound, but Van makes it to his feet just before the round ends. Van almost stole the round on the feet, but not quite.
Round 2: Pantoja clinches and lands some good punches and knees. Pantoja steps away claiming he was headbutted. Looks totally accidental to everyone else. Pantoja is cut as a result, so there is a pause, doctors, replays, etc. We get back underway after a little, though. Pantoja goes for a single leg and has Van against the fence. Van gets free, though. They trade shots in the middle. Both land good ones. Van is landing with more power, though, and Pantoja is starting to slow a little. Van sprawls to stuff a takedown. Van lands a nice straight right, Pantoja flies forwards with a combo and then level changes for a single leg. Van stuffs it and lands on top. He lets him up. Van lands a combo to the body. Pantoja disguises a takedown really well and gets it in the middle of the cage. He takes the back with 20 seconds left.
Round 3: Pantoja complains of another headbutt in the first exchange, Herb Dean isn’t listening to any of it, though. Pantoja lands some nice knees in a clinch and then some leg kicks. Pantoja throws a combo and tries to finish with a takedown, but Van is wise to it. They both land combos on each other in the center. Van’s are landing cleaner, but so far Pantoja is walking through them. Pantoja goes for a single leg but Van stays up. Pantoja gets the takedown with about a minute left. Van gets to his feet and Pantoja misses on a spinning elbow. Van lands some big punches in response. Pantoja waves him on, but he’s getting tagged.
Round 4: Van blocks the first takedown attempt of the fight. Van lands more of those great combos. Pantoja continues to try and walk through them. He level changes for a takedown by the fence. Pantoja gets about a minute of control time before Van makes it up. Pantoja brings him down again. Pantoja rides Van and lands just a little ground and pound. He takes the round to tie it up, for me.
Round 5: Pantoja stays on the outside and that results in far less brawling in the middle. Van is trying to stalk him down, but Pantoja seems to be waiting for a takedown opportunity. Van lands a big combo. Pantoja tries walking forwards now, but Van lights him up with another combo. Pantoja is starting to swell up now. Van is still fighting at top speed and Pantoja is starting to feel all those strikes. Pantoja is desperate for the takedown now, but he’s drained and Van is pushing him away and hurting him when they get up. Pantoja pulls guard after a missed takedown. Van gets on top and lands ground and pound with a minute left. Van tries to pass guard, but Pantoja kicks him off and stands. They brawl and Van lands the best shots. Pantoja charges but can’t get the finish.
Official decision: Joshua Van def. Alexandre Pantoja by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-47, 50-45)
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy
Round 1: Ruffy lands a jab. His length is keeping Tsarukyan at a good distance for him. He stuns Tsarukyan with a one-two. Tsaurkyan shoots for a single-leg. Tsarukyan gets him down, but Ruffy sprawls and gets back up. Tsarukyan presses him into the fence. Ruffy does great to defend some takedown attempts. Ruffy gets away with a big fence grab. Tsarukyan lands a big short elbow, but Ruffy doesn’t react. Ruffy continues to frustrate Tsarukyan with this newfound takedown defense. They separate. The 10 second clacker goes and Tsarukyan level changes and then throws a bomb of an elbow over the top. Ruffy is out cold! Wow.
Official decision: Arman Tsarukyan def. Mauricio Ruffy by KO (elbows), round 1 (4:56)
Doohoo Choi vs. Patricio Pitbull
Round 1: Pitbull sticks Choi with some solid jabs, leading to a little bit of blood. Choi tries to respond with hooks, but he’s not cracking through Pitbull’s guard. Pitbull lands more hard shots on him. Choi is looking a little shell-shocked. He walks into another straight punch. Pitbull lands some body shots. Choi stings him with a counter. But then Pitbull comes over the top and lands a huge one-two that starts to topple Choi. Pitbull swarms and gets the job done!
Official decision: Patricio Pitbull def. Doohoo Choi by KO (punches), round 1 (3:28)
Gable Steveson vs. Sean Sharaf
Round 1: BOOM! Sharaf puts Steveson to sleep with the first punch he landed. He is the biggest underdog winner in UFC history!
Official decision: Sean Sharaf def. Gable Steveson by KO (punch), round 1 (0:12)
Alonzo Menifield vs. Iwo Baraniewski
Round 1: Menifield is swinging for the fences, but Baraniewski is able to dodge those early shots. Baraniewski looks a lot more selective with his strikes this time. He lands some good single shots and then gets out of range. He rocks Menifield with one of those and then a looping counter as Menifield rumbles forwards. They clinch and Menifield digs for a takedown on the fence. Baraniewski pushes him off and things get wild. They both throw bombs and Menifield takes the worst of it. Baraniewski then takes Menifield down. He passes the mount and Menifield gives up his back. Menifield manages to work himself up to his feet. Baraniewski hurts him with some more punches, but Menifield last to the buzzer.
Round 2: Menifield comes out swinging again. He lands a combo and Baraniewski clinches him up. Baraniewski lands some good knees to the body. Menifield stuns him with a jab. Baraniewski responds with a big body shot. Baraniewski then blitzes with a combo. More clinching follows and Menifield lands a good uppercut. Baraniewski lands a big overhand. Menifield keeps answering back, though.
Round 3: Menifield appears to have a broken thumb, but he’s allowed to continue. Both men have slowed down a lot now. Baraniewski holds Menifield against the fence. The referee breaks it up. They brawl, but it’s not at a very high pace, both are sticking each other with punches, though. It’s a tough round to score, but I think Baraniewski just did enough.
Official decision: Alonzo Menifield def. Iwo Baraniewski by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Marlon Vera vs. Charles Jourdain: Vera and Jourdain fought inside a phone booth early on, but that started to ware down Jourdain who seemed to be at both a power and durability disadvantage. As Jourdain slowed down, Vera started landing bigger and bigger shots. In the third round he cracked Jourdain with a big hook that sent Jourdain down (after a delay). Jourdain waved ‘no mas’ after he hit the ground.
Official decision: Marlon Vera def. Charles Jourdain by TKO (punch), round 3 (2:02)
Tai Tuivasa vs. Robelis Despaigne: Despaigne slung punches from his hip to start things off and tagged Tuivasa a bunch. Tuivasa landed some big shots of his own then. Tuivasa pulled Despaigne down on top of him in the first, but got out of trouble. He then got on top of Despaigne, who was exhausted by that point. Tuivasa hurt Despaigne with an overhand left in the second. He then pressed him into the fence while Joe Rogan said Despaigne might have “the worst cardio ever.” Despaigne then hit a desperation judo throw into side mount. He then tried to take a nap there. In the third, both were dead on their feet, but they were willing to throw. Tuivasa landed a nice shot, but also got hip tossed towards the end of the round. Despaigne landed some good ground and pound this time. That was likely enough to get Despaigne the round and the fight.
Official decision: Robelis Despaigne def. Tai Tuivasa by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Michael Aswell Jr. vs. Joo Sang Yoo: The crowd weren’t in love with this one. These two patiently traded strikes in a pretty low intensity kickboxing match for the first two rounds (which Aswell was clearly winning). In the third, Yoo felt some urgency and started to land some big shots and then got a takedown. Yoo needed a finish then, but didn’t do nearly enough to make one happen.
Official decision: Michael Aswell Jr. def. Joo Sang Yoo by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Ryan Gandra vs. Ozzy Diaz: Gandra took a minute or so to size up Diaz. After that he blitzed forwards and rocked Diaz with a combo. Gandra didn’t wait around and admire his work, he kept throwing and put Diaz down along the fence for yet another quick TKO.
Official decision: Ryan Gandra def. Ozzy Diaz by TKO (punches), round 1 (2:04)
Edmen Shahbazayan vs. Brunno Ferreira: Ferreira looked lean, but it took him until the third round to look mean. Shahbazyan kept him at bay early with calf kicks. Ferreira responded with teeps to the knee, which Shahbazyan seemed to think was illegal. In the third Ferreira tried to bring the chaos, but it was too little too late.
Official decision: Edmen Shahbazyan def. Brunno Ferreira by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Casey O’Neill vs. Eduarda Moura: Wow! O’Neill got taken down off the first kick she threw. Moura then smothered her and was close on an anaconda choke. O’Neill stayed calm, though. After the threat of the choke was over, O’Neill used the butterfly guard to push Moura into the air and then she caught Moura in an armbar on the way down. And then she made her tap!
Official decision: Casey O’Neill def. Eduarda Moura by submission (armbar), round 1 (3:22)
Giga Chikadze vs. Joanderson Brito: Chikadze started very well, stinging Brito with a blocked head kick. Chikadze was really flowing after that, but then he slipped on a kick attempt. Brito then got on top of him and unloaded! He put Chikadze out with brutal hammerfists.
Official decision: Joanderson Brito def. Giga Chikadze by KO (hammerfists), round 1 (0:57)
Live stream begins at 5:30 p.m. ET. …
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