UFC 331 to Feature Van-Pantoja Title Rematch

A major flyweight title rematch will headline UFC 331 in Los Angeles this September, officials announced on August 6. The event, scheduled for September 19 at the Crypto.com Arena, will be headlined by champion Joshua Van defending his belt against former titleholder Alexandre Pantoja. The card also features the return of top lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan, who will face Mauricio Ruffy in a five-round co-main event.

The main event is a direct sequel to their first encounter at UFC 323 in December 2025, which ended abruptly just 26 seconds into the first round. Pantoja, then the champion, suffered a dislocated elbow after being taken down awkwardly, leading to a TKO victory for Van. The 24-year-old Van became one of the youngest champions in UFC history with the win, ending Pantoja's eight-fight win streak and four-title defense reign. Van has since defended his title once, knocking out Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328 in May 2026. Pantoja has not competed since the injury.

Van has publicly stated that a rematch was warranted given Pantoja's previous dominance in the division. Van holds a professional record of 17-2, riding a seven-fight win streak. Pantoja's career record stands...