UFC 331 is set to deliver an exciting night of fights on Saturday, Sept. 19 with a flyweight championship rematch headlining the card at Crypoto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET, prelims beginning at 7 p.m. and early prelims at 5 p.m. With several ranked fighters, rising prospects and veteran names throughout the card, there will be plenty to watch before the main event begins.
The night will be headlined by a five-round flyweight championship rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja. The two first met last December, but their fight ended in just 26 seconds after Pantoja suffered a shoulder dislocation, handing Van the title.
Since then, Van has continued to establish himself as one of the division’s top fighters, most recently earning a technical knockout victory over Tatsuro Taira in his first title defence. Van will now look to prove his championship is not the result of an unfortunate injury to Pantoja.
Pantoja will be competing for the first time since the injury and will look to reclaim the title he held before the first meeting. Van’s high volume striking and combinations could give Pantoja problems, while the former champion will look to slow the fight down and use his elite grappling.
If Pantoja can take Van to the ground and control the pace, he could have an opportunity to reclaim his championship. If Van can keep the fight standing, his speed and volume could once again be the difference maker. Either way, the rematch gives both fighters something to prove.
The co-main event will feature a five-round lightweight fight between Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy. Tsarukyan enters the fight with a five-fight winning streak and is coming off a victory over Dan Hooker. A win over Ruffy could put him in an even stronger position to challenge for the lightweight championship.
Ruffy is coming off a highlight reel victory over Michael Chandler back in June. The rising lightweight has dangerous striking and powerful kicks that could cause problems for Tsarukyan if he can keep the fight on the feet.
Tsarukyan’s biggest advantage is his grappling. If he can consistently get Ruffy to the ground and control him, he could take away one of the young fighter’s biggest strengths. Ruffy will be looking to defend the takedowns and use his striking to make a statement against one of the division’s top contenders.
Another main card matchup will see Patricio Pitbull take on Dooho Choi in a three-round featherweight fight. Pitbull is coming off a loss to Aaron Pico and will be looking to get back into the win column after a difficult transition from Bellator to the UFC. Choi enters the fight with momentum after returning from a win in May after a two-year absence. Known for his crafty striking, Choi will be looking to build on that performance and work his way back into the featherweight picture. With two experienced veterans looking to prove they still belong among the divisions best, this could be an entertaining back-and-forth fight.
The prelims also feature several fights worth watching, beginning with a three-round heavyweight matchup between Tai Tuivasa and Robelis Despaigne.
Tuivasa, the hard hitting Australian, enters the fight looking to snap a seven-fight losing streak. Across from him is Despaigne, who is making his return to the UFC after a successful run outside the promotion. He brings a lot of power into the matchup, with both heavyweights known for their knockout ability, this fight could be decided quickly.
Canadian fans will also have a fighter to watch as Montreal’s Charles Jourdain takes on Marlon Vera in their three-round bantamweight fight. Jourdain enters the matchup riding a three-fight winning streak and will look to continue building his place in the division. Vera is looking to end a four-fight losing streak and a return to the win column. Jourdain’s activity and pace could make things difficult for Vera, but the veteran has shown throughout his career that he can find opportunities for finishes late in fights.
The finial highlighted prelim fight features Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson taking on Sean Sharaf in another three-round heavyweight matchup. Steveson is entering just his second UFC fight and has been training alongside UFC legend Jon Jones as he continues to develop his MMA career.
Steveson brings powerful hands and an elite wrestling background, while Sharaf will look to rebound after a recent knockout loss. Both fighters have the power to end the fight quickly, making this another matchup where fans will not want to look away.
The rest of the card features: Ryan Gandra vs. Ozzy Diaz, Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Brunno Ferreira, Casey O’Neill vs. Eduarda Moura, Giga Chikadze vs. Joanderson Brito, Michael Aswell Jr. vs. Joosang Yoo and Alonzo Menifield vs. Iwo Baraniewski.
With a highly anticipated rematch for the championship, a potential lightweight title contender fight and several heavy hitters throughout the card, UFC 331 has plenty of reasons for fans to tune in.