by Preview first by the UFC and then my picks at the bottom.
CRYPTO.COM UFC® 331: VAN vs. PANTOJA 2 PRESENTED BY TOTAL WIRELESS TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Las Vegas – UFC® returns to Los Angeles with one of the most anticipated UFC flyweight championship bouts of all time, as current titleholder Joshua Van aims to leave no doubt when he once again locks horns with former champion Alexandre Pantoja. In the co-main event, UFC lightweight title implications are on the line as No. 2 ranked contender Arman Tsarukyan takes on No. 10 ranked Mauricio Ruffy.
CRYPTO.COM UFC® 331: VAN vs. PANTOJA 2 PRESENTED BY TOTAL WIRELESS takes place Saturday, September 19 at Crypto.com Arena with the main card starting at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on Paramount+. The prelims will begin at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. The early prelims will kick off at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT on Paramount+ and UFC Fight Pass.
CRYPTO.COM UFC® 331: VAN vs. PANTOJA 2 PRESENTED BY TOTAL WIRELESS tickets are available now at AXS.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.
UFC VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC Octagon Girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information.
UFC flyweight king Van (17-2, fighting out of Houston, Texas) plans to cement himself as the best 125-pounder on the planet with another highlight-reel performance. One of the fastest rising stars on the UFC roster, Van has captured the hearts of fans with bonus-earning victories over Tatsuro Taira and Brandon Royval. He now looks to prove his first win over Pantoja was no fluke and continue his impressive reign.
Pantoja (30-6, fighting out of Arraial Do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) steps back into the Octagon with his sights set on reclaiming the crown he believes he never truly lost. The owner of the UFC flyweight records for most wins (14), finishes (8) and submissions (6), Pantoja forged his legacy with dominant victories over Kai Kara-France, Kai Asakura and Brandon Royval. He is now determined to show that he is the best to ever do it by defeating Van in convincing fashion.
Tsarukyan (23-3, fighting out of Yerevan, Armenia) returns to action gunning to secure a shot at the lightweight title. A well-rounded competitor riding an impressive five-fight win streak, he holds notable stoppage victories over Dan Hooker, Beneil Dariush and Joel Alvarez. Tsarukyan plans to steal the show by taking out Ruffy and certifying his position at the top of the 155-pound ranks.
Exciting striker Ruffy (14-2, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) makes a quick return with the intent to deliver another jaw-dropping moment. With 13 of his 14 wins coming by way of knockout, Ruffy has established himself as a can’t-miss competitor by taking out Michael Chander, Rafael Fiziev and King Green. He now aims to secure the biggest victory of his career and vault into the lightweight championship conversation.
Additional bouts on the card include:
- No. 15 ranked featherweight contender Patricio Pitbull (37-9, fighting out of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil) battles Dooho Choi (17-4-1, fighting out of Daegu, South Korea)
- No. 10 ranked lightweight Renato Moicano (21-7-1, fighting out of Brasília, Brazil) rematches Brian Ortega (16-5 1NC, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.)
- No. 14 ranked light heavyweight contender Alonzo Menifield (18-6-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) squares off with undefeated Iwo Baraniewski (9-0, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland)
- Gable Steveson (4-0, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) aims to continue his momentum when he faces Sean Sharaf (4-2, fighting out of Santa Ana, Calif.) at heavyweight
- No. 10 ranked bantamweight contender Marlon Vera (23-12-1, fighting out of Chone, Manabi, Ecuador) meets Charles Jourdain (18-8-1, fighting out of Beloeil, Quebec, Canada) in a bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks
- Tai Tuivasa (15-10, fighting out of Western Sydney, NSW, Australia) looks to spoil the UFC return of Robelis Despaigne (6-2, fighting out of Orlando, Fla. by way of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba)
- An intriguing middleweight contest pits Edmen Shahbazyan (16-6, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) against Brunno Ferreira (15-4, fighting out of Curitiba, Parana, Brazil)
- Giga Chikadze (15-6, fighting out of Tbilisi, Georgia) returns to the Octagon to face Joanderson Brito (19-5-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) in an all-action featherweight bout
- No. 12 ranked flyweight contender Casey O’Neill (11-2, fighting out of Gold Coast, Australia) takes on No. 13 Eduarda Moura (12-2, fighting out of Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil)
- Dana White’s Contender Series signee Ryan Gandra (10-1, fighting out of Betim, Brazil) takes on Ozzy Diaz (10-4, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) at middleweight
- Michael Aswell Jr. (11-5, fighting out of Houston, Texas) and Joosang Yoo (9-1, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) face off at featherweight
For the latest information on bout announcements and additional information for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts are subject to change.
