UFC 331: Joshua Van to defend flyweight title vs Alexandre Pantoja in Los Angeles on Sept. 19

Joshua Van will defend his flyweight championship against former titleholder Alexandre Pantoja in an immediate rematch at UFC 331, held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Saturday, September 19. The card’s co-main features Arman Tsarukyan against Mauricio Ruffy in a five-round lightweight contest.

Their first encounter at UFC 323 in December ended after 26 seconds when an arm injury halted Pantoja’s offense and awarded Van the title via TKO, leaving Pantoja with a rematch he has pursued. The promotion’s return to Los Angeles for UFC 331 is the organisation’s first visit to the city since UFC 227 in 2018.

Fight week adjustments reduced the original lineup when Brian Ortega’s lightweight bout with Renato Moicano was pulled due to injury. Every remaining fight on the main card was moved up one slot, and UFC Fight Pass has the card listed to start half an hour later than its usual pattern to account for the shortened night. The change has not been reflected across all broadcasters, and viewers are advised to confirm listings for their region.

The co-main bout between Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy is a five-round affair with a shot at the lightweight number one contender position on the line. Tsarukyan enters as the wrestling-heavy favourite for many, with the expectation that he will seek to take Ruffy down rather than trade on the feet. Ruffy will need to have made real strides in his takedown defence and scrambling if he is to keep the fight standing long enough to impose his game plan.

The main card is scheduled to begin at 9:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM PT on Saturday, September 19, at the Crypto.com Arena. In the United States the event streams live on Paramount+; international viewers should consult the broadcaster list for their region. For ongoing coverage and updates, Khel Now lists its social channels and apps for follow-up information.

The winner of Tsarukyan vs Ruffy is likely to be next in line for UFC gold at 155 pounds.