Well … at least it’s not UFC 332.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will make its return to the “City of Angels” for its next numbered event, UFC 331, featuring the overdue championship rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja. The action gets underway this Sat. night (Sept. 19, 2026) on Paramount+ from inside the poorly-named Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif., and also features a five-round lightweight co-main event pitting Arman Tsarukyan against Mauricio Ruffy.
Both fights got the
“Countdown” treatment in the embedded video above.
“I think after these 20 minutes, I’m already over it and focused on what I have to do to get back,” Pantoja said in an interview with Stake (via Sherdog). “I am a very fast learner and I really understood what I had to do. I feel like this was such a great gift from God, to allow me to lose like that and come back to have this opportunity to go again and get the championship back. I’ve been training much better now. I have a better diet, I try to sleep better and I have good people working with me. That allows me to focus much more.”
Elsewhere on the card, Renato Moicano and Brian Ortega run it back for no particular reason. In addition, heavyweight phenom Gable Steveson returns to battle local fodder Sean Sharaf, while Tai Tuivasa looks to snap his awful seven-fight losing streak against Robelis Despaigne, who rejoined the promotion back in July. Established veterans Marlon Vera, Edmen Shahbazyan, and Alonzo Menifield will also see action this weekend in “The Golden State.”
For the finalized UFC 331 fight card and Paramount+ lineup click here.
