Joshua Van retained his flyweight title with a thrilling points win over Alexandre Pantoja on Saturday, capping off UFC 331 in Los Angeles.
Van, 24, dethroned Pantoja in strange circumstances in December, when the latter suffered an early injury, but the Myanmar native sealed a clearer win in their rematch.
Although the result seemed to be up in the air heading into the final round, Van came up clutch, dropping Pantoja to seal a unanimous-decision win. The scorecards were surprisingly one-sided (49-46, 49-47, 50-45), as Van extended his reign as the second-youngest champion in UFC history.
In the co-main event, Arman Tsarukyan stopped Mauricio Ruffy in what was billed as a lightweight-title eliminator, after heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson was knocked out cold in 12 seconds against Sean Sharaf.
Re-live UFC 331 below.
UFC 331 LIVE: Van vs Pantoja 2
- Joshua Van outpoints Alexandre Pantoja to retain flyweight title
- Win comes after Van dethroned Pantoja in strange circumstances
- Arman Tsarukyan stops Mauricio Ruffy with brutal double elbow
- Heavyweight hype job Gable Steveson KOed in 12 seconds
- Marlon Vera finishes Charles Jourdain to break four-fight skid
Van wins thrilling Pantoja rematch after brutal Tsarukyan KO
05:29 , Alex Pattle
Joshua Van wins thrilling Alexandre Pantoja rematch after brutal Arman Tsarukyan KO
Thank you!
05:28 , Alex Pattle
Thanks for following our live coverage of UFC 331!
We’ll catch you for the next one.
Knows how to win a classic
05:15 , Alex Pattle
THE FLYWEIGHT KING
— UFC (@ufc) September 20, 2026
Make that TWO title defenses for @JoshuaVanBT!!!
[ #CryptoCom #UFC331 ] pic.twitter.com/vNHYRA12hE
AND STILL
05:11 , Alex Pattle
UNDENIABLE 🇲🇲@JoshuaVanBT defends his flyweight title by defeating Alexandre Pantoja by Unanimous Decision at #CryptoCom #UFC331! pic.twitter.com/sch9xFf3FV
— UFC (@ufc) September 20, 2026
VAN RETAINS!
05:03 , Alex Pattle
Joshua Van def. Alexandre Pantoja via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-47, 50-45)
What on earth is that final scorecard?
Van drops Pantoja!
04:58 , Alex Pattle
Round five
Van starts on the front foot. Pantoja with a head kick, then a couple of low kicks. Van looks to stick to his boxing. More kicks from Pantoja. He’s making it hard for Van to close range.
Van with some fine combination boxing. Pantoja kicks to the body. And again. Great one-two by Van, then another! The latter lands hard.
More clean lands by Van. Pantoja is skipping away. He kicks to the body again.
OH!! Van drops Pantoja with a clean cross! He passes into side control and then tries a crucifix!
Pantoja escapes and stands, but he shoots a bad takedown. Van boxes his head off.
Another sloppy shot by Pantoja. He survives to the buzzer, but he eats a ton of punches along the way!
One more round to decide it
04:54 , Alex Pattle
Final round incoming!
It could be 2-2, or it could be 3-1 to Pantoja. I couldn’t realllly see it 3-1 to Van.
Van is swollen badly over his right eye.
Pantoja controls Van throughout penultimate round
04:52 , Alex Pattle
Round four
Pantoja scores a takedown early in the round and has side control. He flattens out Van near the fence. More boos from the crowd. Van has guard now, with one hook under Pantoja.
Van manages to scoot away, but Pantoja has a body lock.
This control time is crucial for Pantoja, buying him energy. Late in round three, it looked like he might gas himself out and get outboxed in the latter moments of this fight.
Pantoja 2-1 up? Razor-close round
04:47 , Alex Pattle
Round three
More hard lands by Pantoja, but Van is catching him out at the end of combinations as well.
The stats have both men landing almost the same number of significant strikes, but Van with greater accuracy.
Van manages to take the back standing up! But he lets go. Back to another frantic striking exchange. Pantoja lands some stinging jabs and a low kick.
Now he gets Van down again, and the crowd boos. This round is up for grabs, and Pantoja may seal it with control time here.
But Van eventually stands with 30 seconds to go. Now some blistering boxing from him!! But Pantoja motions for him to bring it on!
What a fantastic end to the round. It’s JUST a Pantoja round for me. JUST.
Another complaint by Pantoja
04:44 , Alex Pattle
Round three
Pantoja complains of another headbutt, but Dean says, “You’re coming together.”
Great variety by Pantoja in the striking exchanges; he’s landing all sorts of weapons, including a knee to the body and a front kick to the face.
Tidy left hook by Van, who then shrugs off a body-lock takedown effort. Very clean boxing by Van now, then another sprawl... and another!
But Pantoja does have him held against the fence, but not for long.
Van takes a wild second round?
04:41 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Really hard cross by Van, Pantoja fires back and seeks a trip... but Van does so well to reverse and land in closed guard!
He disengages, stands, and both men land in another intense exchange.
Eventually Pantoja lands another trip, with 30 seconds left in the round.
Pantoja takes the back in very slick fashion, but Van survives to the buzzer.
Likely a Van round, but good work by Pantoja throughout, too.
Frenetic pace here
04:39 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Pantoja shoots for a takedown as soon as the round resumes. Four minutes left in this frame. Van is pinned to the fence.
Van defends well and gets free. He presses forward, evades a couple of wild swings, and lands a pair of tidy punches. Good combination punching from Van now.
Hard jab by Pantoja, though, and a vicious low kick. Van with one of his own, then a two-one and an extra jab. Van is boxing well here, but Pantoja is still landing.
Pantoja with a grazing body kick, then a cross and a jab. Van sprawls to thwart a takedown.
Now he denies Pantoja another one.
Pause in action due to clash of heads, Pantoja irate
04:36 , Alex Pattle
Round two
There’s a pause in the action, as blood starts to pour from the forehead of Pantoja. Pantoja is saying Van led with his head on purpose.
A replay shows it was an accident, but Van’s head did crash into Pantoja’s. Pantoja is asking referee Herb Dean to take a point.
The action will resume now. No point taken, of course.
Frantic first round goes to Pantoja
04:33 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Pantoja tries to throw up a triangle choke then an armbar, but there’s nothing doing.
Now they stand, and they’re trading bombs!! Pantoja lands a couple of big rights and some knees to the body, before getting to his jab.
Van is the crisper boxer, but Pantoja is making it hard for the youngster to settle into his technique.
Good elbow by Van, which seems to cut the left eye of Pantoja...
Beautiful trip by Pantoja off of a boxing exchange! He lands in mount. Twenty seconds left in the round... Van does really well to stand and land a hook.
Pantoja taks round one.
Pantoja lands early takedown and controls Van
04:30 , Alex Pattle
Round one
“Oooooh” from the crowd as Pantoja refuses to touch gloves.
Big right hand thrown by Pantoja immediately, then a tidy trip off a body lock! Ten seconds it took him to get Van down.
Van scoots to the cage and throws some punches to slow down Pantoja, but the latter slips into mount.
Pantoja fully in control as we hit the midway point of round one.
Van is able to scramble and stand!! But Pantoja has the back... Oh! Van dumps him to the mat and lands in closed guard, interesting.
Van vs Pantoja 2 begins...
04:27 , Alex Pattle
Off we go!!
MAIN EVENT: Van vs Pantoja 2
04:20 , Alex Pattle
Ring walks under way! Pantoja emerges to “Many Men” by 50 Cent as usual. Van will appear next.
There’s just enough time to read our preview of this main event:
Alexandre Pantoja seeks unique revenge against Joshua Van amid strange UFC grudge
Tsarukyan vs Gaethje?
04:14 , Alex Pattle
I think Tsarukyan is the slicker, better-rounded fighter, but Gaethje could definitely drag Tsarukyan into deep waters.
A potential fight between the Armenian and Topuria could be fun, but I think Tsarukyan is just too big.
Tsarukyan speaks on victory
04:09 , Alex Pattle
“Thank you so much, Los Angeles, thank you for the crowd. I love you.
“I came here to save the city. Today Los Angeles is gonna have fun.
“For my next fight, for the title fight, I needed that finish – and I knew I was gonna finish him.
“Title fight or Mark Zuckerberg, I want to fight you next.”
With how things were going at lightweight, Arman desperately needed to make a statement. Safe to say he delivered. pic.twitter.com/7Dtb5QjYsx
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 20, 2026
Double elbow KO
04:07 , Alex Pattle
The left elbow put Ruffy out cold and had him slumping on Tsarukyan’s shoulder, but as Ruffy slipped off the shoulder and towards the canvas, he ate a right elbow as well. Brutal.
Then we saw a shot of Ruffy unconscious but with his eyes open, lying on the mat, with his mouth stretched into a vacant smile. An unsettling scene.
TSARUKYAN WITH BRUTAL KO WIN
04:05 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Tsarukyan takes the back and tries to get his hooks in. Oh! Ruffy turns towards him, into a HUGE elbow. Ouch.
Just prior to that, Ruffy appeared to get away with a blatant fence grab.
Tsarukyan is still controlling the Brazilian. Another elbow. Ruffy with one of his own. Ooh... Tsarukyan’s left eye is looking damaged...
OH!!!! BUT HE PUTS RUFFY OUT COLD WITH AN ELBOW. MY WORD.
Tsarukyan vs Ruffy
04:02 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Both men stand orthodox. Ruffy is the taller fighter. Tsarukyan kicks low. Great atmosphere, with early chants of “Arman”.
Tsarukyan is edging forward. A couple of quick counters from Ruffy, and one right hand seems to sting Tsarukyan.
More low kicks from Tsarukyan, who will surely wrestle asap. And as I type that, he shoots for a single-leg against the fence. He gets it, to the sound of cheers.
Ruffy stands but is held against the fence. Middleweight star Khamzat Chimaev shouts order from Tsarukyan’s corner.
'Rich and fights like he's poor'
03:58 , Alex Pattle
That’s what Joe Rogan has to say about Tsarukyan, who recently changed his name to “Batman”.
Indeed, Tsarukyan comes from wealth, but he’s still hungry for the UFC lightweight title.
Ruffy may be the final hurdle between the Armenian and a title fight (Tsarukyan’s planned shot against Islam Makhachev, in 2025, collapsed due to a last-minute back injury).
Great reception for Tsarukyan in LA. Off we go...
Lightweight title eliminator?
03:49 , Alex Pattle
Lightweight champ Justin Gaethje is cageside tonight as No 2 contender Tsarukyan faces knockout artist Ruffy.
Of course, former champion Ilia Topuria could walk straight into a rematch with Gaethje whenever he returns, but a strong performance by either fighter here could change that...
Co-main event: Tsarukyan vs Ruffy next!
03:42 , Alex Pattle
Patricio Pitbull def. Dooho Choi via first-round KO (right cross, 3:28)
Back-to-back knockouts in the first round. Will we see the same in the co-main event?
It’s Arman Tsarukyan vs Mauricio Ruffy next...
Pitbull starches Choi!
03:36 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Former Bellator champ Pitbull is 1-2 in the UFC. Can he get a second win here?
He lands well to the body early on, before going up top. Now Choi does the opposite, going from head to body.
Hard left by Pitbull upstairs then two snapping jabs. Pitbull with a left hook and clean right. Choi is bloodied – cut over his left eye – but firing back! Pitbull just has a clear power advantage and is landing at a good clip...
Choi is slipping in uppercuts, but OH!!! He finally goes down after a massive cross by Pitbull, and the ground and pound is brutal! It’s alllll over!
Third-fastest KO in UFC heavyweight history
03:22 , Alex Pattle
Sean Sharaf def. Gable Steveson via first-round KO (left hook, 0:12)
There’s the official time. Twelve seconds. Corrrr.
US marine Sharaf in tears
03:20 , Alex Pattle
Sharaf breaks down in tears after scoring the KO. The former US marine talked a big game this week, to say the least, and he backed up his words. Incredible...
Steveson walks away before result is announced
03:16 , Alex Pattle
Poor form. Steveson is out of the cage before the result is even announced.
To be clear, he looks lucid. He was KOed badly but didn’t need medical attention.
SHARAF EVISCERATES STEVESON
03:13 , Alex Pattle
WOWWWWW. After Steveson emerges to boos, he barely lasts 10 seconds against Sharaf!!
All that hype around Steveson, Jon Jones in his corner, but he eats a HUGE left hook in the opening exchanges and goes down haaaaard.
His head snaps back and he falls heavily before two hammer fists add insult to injury.
The LA crowd can’t believe it.
BREAKING: CIRYL GANE UPGRADED, FIRST DEFENCE OFFICIAL
03:02 , Alex Pattle
Dana White “misspoke” yesterday, apparently, when he said Gane wouldn’t be upgraded from interim heavyweight champion to undisputed.
Gane HAS been upgraded, and he’ll defend the belt versus the controversial Josh Hokit at Madison Square Garden in November – in the main event of UFC 334.
Ciryl Gane crowned UFC heavyweight champion and defends title against Josh Hokit
Gable Steveson vs Sean Sharaf
02:57 , Alex Pattle
Next, it’s Gable Steveson vs Sean Sharaf at heavyweight.
Steveson, 26, is a former Olympic gold-medalist for Team USA, and now he’s training under UFC icon Jon Jones.
This week, Sharaf used the press conference to taunt Steveson over his 2019 arrest.
In 2019, Steveson and a Minnesota wrestling teammate were arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and were subsequently suspended by their team.
Later that year, a lack of adequate evidence meant neither Steveson nor his teammate would face criminal charges.
The county attorney also cited Minnesota’s laws – around charging sexual assault against intoxicated victims – as a factor.
Menifield overcomes gruesome thumb injury
02:51 , Alex Pattle
Alonzo Menifield def. Iwo Baraniewski via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
The fans in LA don’t agree, but I think it’s the right score!
And when Menifield shows the fans his thumb – which he says he injured in round one – he wins some of them over. As he should.
It’s not just bent really far backwards; it’s split open and bloody.
Vera ends it!
02:01 , Alex Pattle
Round three
Wowwww, Vera lands a big left hook, and Jourdain drops yet again!
As he goes down, he waves off the fight! You don’t see that every day...
Jourdain didn’t want any more. Maybe he was caught badly on the eye socket...?
Is Van the ‘true’ champion? Here’s what May title defence told us
01:04 , Alex Pattle
Due to the manner of Van’s title win, many fans questioned the legitimacy of his status as champion. That was, until his first title defence proved the perfect means of converting his doubters.
In May, he won a fight of the year contender with Tatsuro Taira, stopping his challenger in the fifth and final round. With that, Van traversed the best of both worlds: not only proving his doggedness in moments of adversity, but also demonstrating a killer instinct to put away the Japanese.
You may still feel that, until Van beats Pantoja, the Brazilian is the rightful champion, but the onus to prove the truth is as much on Pantoja as it is on Van. On Saturday, when the pair headline UFC 331 in Los Angeles, each gets his chance. At 36 years old, Pantoja may feel the greater pressure.
More thoughts on Van vs Pantoja 1
Sunday 20 September 2026 00:45 , Alex Pattle
Just 26 seconds into their showdown in Las Vegas, flyweight king Pantoja had suffered a ‘freak’ injury, leaving him clutching his arm while laying on the canvas and wagging his finger at Van – standing above the Brazilian – as the referee waved off the fight.
And after being escorted out of the cage, Pantoja was immediately treated, with backstage reporter Megan Olivi revealing a left-shoulder dislocation.
When Van caught a head kick from Pantoja and shoved him to the canvas, he was showing sharp defence after surviving a few early, chaotic exchanges – the type that Pantoja loves so dearly.
Was Van trying to injure Pantoja’s arm, when he shoved him away? No. Can he take credit for hurting Pantoja enough that the latter could not continue? Yes. Was it as definitive an ending as fans wanted? No. Was it a fair way for Van to win, in a sport as frantic and perilous as MMA? Yes.
The strange grudge driving Pantoja to revenge against Van
Sunday 20 September 2026 00:33 , Alex Pattle
An ecstatic Joshua Van scaled the Octagon wall in a mad scramble. Although an athlete with impeccable control over his body, here he was a young man incapable of suppressing the grin that was stretching his fresh face. At only 24 years old, he had just become the youngest active champion in the UFC – the second-youngest in history, in fact, a matter of months behind the ‘great’ Jon Jones.
Furthermore, he had accomplished this feat by dethroning Alexandre Pantoja, one of the most dominant title holders in recent memory. And in barely 30 seconds, no less. So, why did the MMA fanbase take such issue with Van’s jubilation, his exuberance in this life-changing moment?
It was because Van hadn't actually beaten Pantoja, people said.
This is the story of Van vs Pantoja 1:
Alexandre Pantoja seeks unique revenge against Joshua Van amid strange UFC grudge
How to watch UFC 331 tonight
Sunday 20 September 2026 00:16 , Alex Pattle
In the UK, the card will air live on TNT Sports and is also accessible via HBO Max, EE TV, Virgin Media, Amazon Prime Video, and Sky Sports. In the US, Paramount+ will stream the action, with CBS showing a segment of the card.
UFC 331 early-prelim results
Sunday 20 September 2026 00:08 , Alex Pattle
Edmen Shahbazyan def. Brunno Ferreira via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Casey O’Neill def. Eduarda Moura via submission (first-round armbar, 3:22)
Joanderson Brito def. Giga Chikadze via first-round KO (ground and pound, 1:56)
UFC 331 LIVE: Welcome!
Sunday 20 September 2026 00:00 , Alex Pattle
Tonight, Alexandre Pantoja will try to wrest the UFC flyweight title from Joshua Van, after losing the belt to the young star in their first fight.
In December, Pantoja suffered a shoulder injury 26 seconds into his title defence against Van, as the latter became the second-youngest champion in UFC history – under bizarre circumstances.
Pantoja, 36, has not fought since then, while Van, 24, retained the gold against Tatsuro Taira in May. In the eyes of many fans, the Myanmar native legitimised his title reign with that win, surviving great adversity to ultimately stop Taira in a fight of the year contender.
But to really mark himself as the ‘true’ flyweight champion, must Van overcome Pantoja – a pound-for-pound star and divisional great – in emphatic fashion? Tonight, he gets the chance to do so when he defends the strap against the Brazilian at UFC 331.
Follow live updates and results from UFC 331, right here.
