UFC 331 went down last night (Saturday, September 19, 2026) at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, which saw Joshua Van defend your UFC flyweight title by defeating Alexandre Pantoja by unanimous decision in an absolute classic (scorecards here). At the joint main event Arman Tsarukyan made an emphatic statement by striking out Mauricio Ruffy with a massive elbow with just four seconds left in the first round, makes a great win for the championship (see it again here). In further action Old Sharaf caused the biggest upset of the night by striking out Gable Steveson in just 12 seconds (see it again here).
Biggest Winner: Sean Sharaf
It’s not shocking. Sharaf entered massive underdog against a man who was considered by many to be the potential future of the heavyweight division, Gable Steveson. But in the blink of an eye, United States Marine Sharaf tagged Steveson with a massive left hook that knocked out the Olympic gold medalist. cold outstopped the jump before it gained momentum, giving him the biggest win of his MMA career 12 seconds into the fight. Sharaf now has the third fast knockout in the history of the 265-pound weight class. To make matters even sweeter, Sharaf was 0-2 in the Octagon coming into the event, so securing his first win under the UFC banner against one of the company’s most hyped fighters is a tough moment. And this the post-fight bonus money only sweetens the pot.
The rest: Joshua Van and Arman Tsarukyan
Van was looking for a a more certain victory over Pantoja in their championship rematch and he got it. Although he didn’t get the finish, Van put on one hell of a performance against the Brazilian challenger, coming out of the games like a bat out of hell looking to set the pace of the fight in his quest to regain the belt. But Van didn’t lose his cool, he kept his composure and began to dominate as the fight progressed thanks to his sharp and accurate striking. In the fifth and final round, Van took control, letting his fists fly freely, and they connected more often than not, knocking down and already breaking Pantoja to lock up the unanimous decision victory. Just 24 years old, the van now has two defending champions and his stock is only on the rise.
Every other night Tsarukyan’s knockout a win over Luffy would take first place, but he has to settle for second place due to Sharaf’s huge upset. Nevertheless, Tsarukyan could have won the bigger prize, as he undoubtedly locked up the next shot Justin Gaethje’s title (I’m sorry, Ilia) over Luffy with a monstrous finish. Dana White wasn’t too convinced before the fight that a win would give Tsarukyan his dream fight, but now even he can’t deny him. Fans have been wanting to see Tsarukyan back in the game dominant RAFand he made the wait worth it.
Honorary Mention: Alonzo Menifield
Menifield secured one of the biggest wins of his speedy career with a hand dive Iwo Baraniewski in a back and forth war. Baraniewski was a slight favorite in the match, having already won all his fights in the first round. And things looked up for him early on, tagging Menifield several times to not only get his attention, but shake him up pretty good. But Menifield showed his toughness and weathered the early storm to be the first man out of the first round of Iwo. In the second round, Menifield got a rough thumb injury which put him at a disadvantage. He couldn’t help himself. He is now 4-1 in his last five and could see a rise in the ranking.
Biggest Loser: Gable Steveson
Again, this shouldn’t be shocking. Steveson entered his second UFC jump with a lot of momentum and was a heavy favorite against a man who had lost his first two fights in the Octagon. As a result of his first two losses, no one gave Sharaf a chance to beat the Olympic gold medalist. But Steveson’s momentum and hype dropped just 12 seconds into the fight after he was tagged with a massive left hook that knocked him out cold before hitting the canvas. And just like that, the train derails, its momentum is gone and it’s going to sting for a while. To make matters worse, Steveson was criticized by the UFC commentary team for walking out of the cage before Sharaf was announced as the winner. But Steveson can take this valuable lesson for a long career.
Click for complete UFC 331 results, coverage and highlights HERE.