UFC 331 delivered high drama at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Saturday, September 19, 2026, featuring a dramatic flyweight title rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja alongside a packed card of high-stakes mixed martial arts action.
The Octagon returned to California for a fight card that brought together surging contenders, veteran fighters looking to break skids, and marquee bouts across multiple weight divisions. Fight fans witnessed everything from swift first-round stoppages to gritty, blood-soaked battles that tested the limits of endurance.
MAIN CARD (Paramount+ 9:00 PM ET)
Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy
Patricio Pitbull vs. Doo Ho Choi
Gable Steveson vs. Sean Sharaf
UFC 331 live results, updates, analysis for Van vs
Iwo Baraniewski vs. Alonzo Menifield
PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+ 5:30 PM ET)
Marlon Vera def.
Robelis Despaigne def.
Michael Aswell Jr. def.
Ryan Gandra def.
Edmen Shahbazyan def.
Casey O’Neill def.
UFC 331 LIVE
Joanderson Brito def.
Flyweight Title Rematch and Championship Stakes
At the top of the card, flyweight champion Joshua Van stepped in to defend his 125lbs strap against Alexandre Pantoja.
Joshua Van (17-2 MMA) entered the rematch. The event also featured a flyweight title grudge match between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja, while co-headliners Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy locked horns in a title eliminator at 155 pounds. The card additionally showcased Olympic gold medal prospect Gable Steveson looking to continue his perfect start to life in the cage, and former Bellator two-weight world champion Patricio Pitbull colliding with the always-dangerous Doo Ho Choi.
Light Heavyweight Grit and Mangled Thumbs
One of the night’s most brutal talking points unfolded in the light heavyweight division, where Alonzo Menifield squared off against Iwo Baraniewski. Alonzo Menifield def. Iwo Baraniewski via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28). Menifield overcame a gruesome injury to his left thumb, which he said he injured in round one. It was not just bent really far backwards; it was split open and bloody.
UFC 331: Van vs. Pantoja 2 Live Results
A doctor checked Menifield before the final round, and the camera showed his left thumb was facing the wrong direction. The majority of this round was contested in the clinch against the fence, with Menifield perhaps trying to minimise pain and damage to his thumb. It was Menifield’s jab thumb that was contorted, but still he threw and landed jabs, getting through with some heavier shots while Baraniewski held on. Fans in LA didn’t agree with the decision initially, but when Menifield showed the fans his thumb, he won some of them over, as he should.
Round 1 featured Iwo Baraniewski striking early with a right before firing with his left, while Alonzo Menifield connected with a hard right, throwing another and whiffing. Baraniewski landed a kick and a right, Menifield responded with a right, and Menifield charged in to take a hard shot while Baraniewski fired fast and landed knees. Blood was smeared on Baraniewski’s face before Menifield got hit hard and went down with Baraniewski falling on top for a takedown in a commanding position. Baraniewski kneed Menifield twice, and both men swung with serious power, resulting in a 10-9 score for Baraniewski from the judge.
Round 2 saw Menifield come out swinging and connecting before they clinched, short-circuiting a brawl. Baraniewski used his right knee again before they separated and fists flew, with Menifield landing two hard jabs and Bananaiewski firing back. Both men looked exhausted, throwing blows and exchanging hard shots again, especially Baraniewski, while Menifield landed a few big shots as the round ended, bringing the scorecard to 19-19.
Early Finishes and Standout Preliminary Results
The preliminary card delivered rapid stoppages. Marlon Vera def. Vera knocked down Jourdain three times, the final time coming about midway through the third round when Vera waved his hands in front of his face as if to say, “No mas.” It was more than enough, with Vera delivering hard shots throughout the fight and earning a Grade: A-.
Robelis Despaigne def. Tai Tuivasa by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) in a heavyweight bout graded B. At times it looked like a barroom brawl and at times a hugfest, but nothing could stop the inevitability as Tuivasa lost his eighth straight fight, tying the UFC record for consecutive losses that he now shares with Tony Ferguson and Sam Alvey. Tuivasa, weighing 264.5 pounds at 6-2, helped keep the fight entertaining against the 6-7 Despaigne, withstanding hard shots to his bloodied and beaten face while landing hard shots of his own, resulting in one judge scoring it 29-28 for Tuivasa and two judges scoring it 29-28 for Despaigne.
Up-and-coming middleweight Ryan Gandra bulldozed his way past Ozzy Diaz, scoring a knockout victory at the 2:04 mark of the first round. After a brief feeling-out process, Gandra put his foot on the gas and overwhelmed Diaz with a barrage of punches against the fence, swarming Diaz to secure the knockout. Diaz has now been knocked out in all of his 5 MMA losses and fell to 1-3 in the promotion while riding a two-fight skid. Gandra, a 31-year-old Brazilian, is off to a hot start to his UFC career, scoring three straight first-round finishes since his debut in February, and after Saturday’s win, he called out former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
Edmen Shahbazyan earned a unanimous decision victory against Brunno Ferreira in a middleweight bout, with judges scoring it 29-28, 29-28, and 30-27 as Shahbazyan cruised past Ferreira. Michael Aswell Jr. defeated Joo Sang Yoo via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29). Casey O’Neill defeated Eduarda Moura via submission (Armbar) at 3:22 of Round 1. Joanderson Brito defeated Giga Chikadze via KO (Hammerfists) at 1:57 of Round 1. Ryan Gandra also defeated Ozzy Diaz via KO (Punches) at 2:04 of Round 1.