The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to the “City of Angels”. UFC 331: “Van vs. Pantoja 2” mixed martial arts (MMA) eventheadlined, as the name suggests, by a flyweight championship rematch facing reigning champion Joshua Van and former 125-pound defending champion Alexandre Pantoja. The action takes place this Saturday. night (Sept. 19, 2026) onwards Paramount+ from inside the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, and also features a slight clash between perennial contender Arman Tsarukyan and “Fighting Nerds” defector Mauricio Ruffy
We break down those two punches along with the rest of the UFC 331 main card below:
125 pounds: UFC flyweight champion Joshua “The Fearless” Van (17-2) vs. Alexandre “The Cannibal” Pantoja (30-6)
Fair weather fans are nothing new in sports, and I know the MMA community loves shiny new toys, but I’m still somewhat surprised by the rush to write off Alexandre Pantoja. Before the injury in his first fight with Van, the Brazilian had won eight in a row over some of the toughest fighters in the division, including Manel Kape, Kai Asakura and top seed Brandon Moreno. He’s 36 years old with 36 professional fights, and will no doubt be motivated to show the world that his loss to Van was a fluke (because it was). Pantoja averages nearly five significant strikes per minute and nearly three takedowns per 15 minutes, a statistic that is atypical for a 125-pound fighter. He also holds the flyweight record for wins (14), finishes (8) and results (6).
“I’m the challenge here. I’ve had this position all my life and I like it; it makes this moment much better,” said Pantoja. UFC.com. “When I was very young, it was my dream to fight the best fighters in the world. The UFC gave me that opportunity and on Saturday night I have the opportunity to fight the best fighter in the world again. Right now it’s Joshua Van and I want to show everyone that I’m the best. I’m happy that I have this opportunity. Flyweight has that recognition, it’s amazing for me. The main event is great for me. So I have a lot of good. Division, so many good names, I fought everyone in the Top 10 and now that I seeing the leaderboard, it’s all new and I want to stay here to fight everyone again.
Van owns some records that are impressive for his age and experience level, including remarkable shooting accuracy (57.4%), shots per minute (8.43) and shot differential (2.61). I spoke highly of Pantoja and will do the same here, because an injury finish at UFC 323 doesn’t diminish Van’s incredible war against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328 or erase his brilliant performance against tough veteran Brandon Royval at UFC 317. I’ve always maintained that a fighter looking for flyweights or Pantoja has since won or lost at flyweight. grace against “The Cannibal” wipes out their first fight, I’m still not convinced “Fearless” is the guy. Depending on how things go, my opinion may change after the weekend, but until then I’ll pick Pantoja based on his championship experience.
Prediction: Pantoja def. Van by submission
155 pounds: Arman “Ahalkalakets” Tsarukyan (23-3) vs. Mauricio Ruffy (14-2)
Arman Tsarukyan is one of the best wrestlers in the division and often makes it look easy, scoring ten takedowns against Matt Frevola and another seven against Damir Ismagulov. Tsarukyan only has two fights where he didn’t get a takedown – Beneil Dariush and Christos Giagos – but that’s because “Ahalkalakets” ended both contests by first-round knockout. His only two losses under the UFC banner? Both times, Tsarukyan overcame, first Islam Makhachov and then again Mateusz Gamrot.
As you can see, Armani’s fate will be determined by how well he controls his wrestling and he will no doubt want to use that against an opponent who has 13 knockouts in 14 wins. I think this is a good time to mention that Ruffy only has one loss in the UFC and that was the only UFC fight where he was taken down and in control. The bottom line? Submission loss to French phenom Benoit Saint Denis. There’s really no point standing next to the Brazilian because Armani has nothing to prove. His only goal at this stage is to win until Dana White finally relents and gives “Ahalkalaket” another shot at the 155-pound title.
“You can’t compare (Israeli) Adesanja to me and you can’t compare (Alex) Volkanovski to me,” Tsarukyan said of Ruffy’s training partners. UFC 331 Media Day (see it here). “They’re completely different fighters. Yeah, he’s got power and he’s got a good jab, but I’m better all around. So with my wrestling and my jabs, that I can mix it up, I can always get hit (together). He’s got a very awkward style. I’ve never faced anybody like he punches. So it’s going to be a bit dangerous, the first round should be good.”
Don’t let the RAF hijinks or Nina Drama videos fool you, Arman is an intelligent fighter who values victory above all else. That’s five rounds of WrestleMania — or at least until Arman finds the tap.
Prediction: Tsarukyan def. Performing Luffy
145 pounds: Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (37-9) vs. Doo Ho “Korean Superboy” Choi (17-4)
Patricio Freire has been a disappointment so far in his UFC career, and it probably comes as no surprise that the promotion snapped him up when he was well past his prime. Now at 40, things continue to trend downward, depending on how suitors book him moving forward. That’s what happens when amassing nearly 50 professional fights, many of them grueling, five-round wars. Offensively, Freire can do it all and has 24 finishes split evenly between knockouts (12) and submissions (12), but only has one finish in 10 fights over the past five years. The competition got tougher, Freire got older and now he’s fighting to keep his spot on the featherweight roster. That said, I don’t think he would be opposed to a reunion with Scott Coker at Ki MMA if things don’t work out for him in the UFC (meaning he loses this fight).
“I haven’t liked any of (my UFC fights),” Pitbull told reporters at the meeting UFC 331 Media Day (see it here). “I don’t think I’ve shown my potential at all in any fight, but I want to bring that out in this performance. I liked (that Choi called me out on this card). It’s always good when fighters remember your name and remember your name. I think his opponent was going to say the same thing. I missed that. All the challengers in this division are quiet.”
Doo Ho Choi burst onto the scene about 12 years ago on a UFC “Fight Night” card headlined by Frankie Edgar and Cub Swanson, started 3-0 with three first-round knockouts, then dropped three straight in the ugliest fashion before disappearing for more than three years. Part of that absence involved dealing with issues related to South Korea’s mandatory military service (he was later exempted), but he also had to rehabilitate a broken arm severe enough to require a metal plate in his arm. The “Korean Superboy” is now 35 years old and is no longer a young prospect with a lot of potential; Although to his credit, he was able to draw and win three straight fights in his Octagon return in 2023, all by knockout. He is not much younger than Freire, but has far less mileage and, unlike the Brazilian, has continued to find victory. Granted, Choi’s competition has been lackluster at best, but his -275 prediction line is on the money.
Prediction: Choi def. Freire by knockout
205 pounds: Iwo “Rudy” Baraniewski (9-0) vs. “Atomic” Alonzo Menifield (18-6-1)
Forget Jan Błachowicz, the undefeated Iwo Baraniewski is the new “Power of Poland”. The 27-year-old Pole finished Dana White’s Contender Series about a year ago, and in three subsequent trips to the cage, “Rudy” has scored three first-round knockouts (and three post-fight performance awards). In fact, all nine of his wins have come from the first frame, and he’s exactly the kind of fighter we need to help breathe new life into the aging 205-pound division. I don’t want to get too carried away here because Baraniewski hasn’t fought anyone in the top 15 yet and we don’t know what his cardio or takedown defense looks like since neither has been tested. Is Alonzo Menifield the man to do it?
The Texan turns 39 in just a few weeks, and if you look at his record, he’s been beaten silly by light heavyweight strikers like Carlos Ulberg, Azamat Murzakanov and Volkan Oezdemir. “Atomic” also won the “Contender Series” in 2018 and has since posted a respectable 11-6-1 UFC record, though most of those wins have come against bottom of the barrel competition such as Askar Mozharov and Fabio Cherant. I’m not discounting his punching power, but technically his punches are nothing to write home about. He’s not that great in the grappling department, either, and has relied on speed and agility for most of his career, two things that don’t improve with age. It feels like a fight that was meant to showcase Baraniewski’s skills, and the bookies seem to agree, with ‘Rudy’ a -245 betting favourite.
“I know he is a very dangerous striker,” Baraniewski told reporters at the meeting UFC 331 Media Day (see it here). “I know he’s an experienced fighter – but I’m ready for it. It’s a good opportunity for me to climb into the top 15. I think two possibilities: maybe he rushes at me, but I’m ready for it. But I think maybe he’s waiting for a counter. We’ll see on Saturday. I’m ready for those two options. I have plans for those two options. I have plans for those two options.
Out with the old and in with the new.
Prediction: Baraniewski def. Menifield by knockout
265 pounds: Gable Steveson (4-0) vs. Sean “The Smoke” Sharaf (4-2)
In pro wrestling, they call it a squash match. The promoter wants to push the driven young prospect and make him super strong by crushing his enhancement talent. Gable Steveson is a rising star and Sean Sharaf is a jobber. I understand how business works. Steveson needs to be protected until it’s time to put him on the card or fight for a title, so he doesn’t face anyone dangerous, and matchmakers certainly won’t risk pitting him against another top performer like Anthony Wint.
It’s a pretty long-term way of accepting the fact that we’re likely to be stuck with these types of layouts for the foreseeable future. Complicating matters is the heavyweight situation, which is currently in disarray with Tom Aspinall relinquishing his title. As for this fight, you have an Olympic gold medalist and NCAA Division 1 national champion beating an older, slower can of tomatoes who is 0-2 in the UFC, coming off unranked heavyweights Junior Tafa and Steven Asplund. What can Sharaf do to stop Steveson?
“I feel like when guys start bringing certain things out, that coward comes out,” Steveson said. UFC 331 Media Day (see it here). “This is a guy who shows up for what he wants and says, ‘Hey, I’m the sacrificial lamb.’ And that’s who he’s going to be on Saturday, and we’re going to show the world once again that Gable Steveson continues to improve and continue to be the best that he can be. I treat every opponent the same, whether they’re the best or the worst. Go out there and pick them apart and dominate them. I’m here to win. I’m not here to joke. I’m not here to talk. I’m not here to be rude to anyone. I’m here to win and go home. That’s my whole point.
Maybe Steveson will take a page from his mentor Jon Jones’ playbook and do something stupid en route to a DQ loss. Outside of that, expect Sharaf to remind you why the bookies pegged him as a +1000 underdog.
Prediction: Steveson def. Sharaf by knockout
Click for more information on this weekend’s UFC 331 event here.