UFC 331: Van vs. Pantoja II for Flyweight Title

Joshua Van walked out of their first fight with the belt and a cloud over his head. Alexandre Pantoja left with a dislocated elbow and a score to settle. On Saturday in Los Angeles, they finally get to find out what happens when fate doesn’t intervene after 26 seconds.

The flyweight title rematch headlines UFC 331, a card stacked with high‑stakes matchups and a simmering edge of resentment. Van is the champion on paper. Pantoja still carries himself like the man who never truly lost.

Van vs. Pantoja II: unfinished business at flyweight

Their first meeting ended almost before it began. Pantoja’s arm gave out in an early scramble last December, the belt changing hands in a blur that satisfied no one. Van got gold, not validation. Pantoja got surgery and a long, bitter wait.

Now the roles are twisted. Van, just 24, is the betting favorite at -135. Pantoja, one of the defining flyweights of his era, walks in as a +114 underdog at 36. It’s fuel for a rivalry that didn’t need any more.

Van’s first defense in May went a long way toward proving he belongs. Pushed into deep water by Tatsuro Taira, he adjusted mid‑fight, rode out the wrestling storms and turned a grueling five‑round war into a statement finish. That night he looked less like an opportunist and more like a champion growing into the role.

Pantoja still brings the deeper toolbox and the heavier résumé. His late-career surge to the title showcased a fighter who sharpened with age rather than dulled, building a reputation on grit, pressure and suffocating grappling. He believes the rematch is his chance to restore order, to show that the belt left him because of an elbow, not an opponent.

The CBS Sports panel is split. Brian Campbell and Michael Mormile lean toward the veteran’s savvy and submission threat, both backing Pantoja to snatch a choke in the later rounds. Brent Brookhouse, Shakiel Mahjouri and Brandon Wise side with youth and momentum, all taking Van by knockout or decision, several expecting a violent finish inside two rounds.

There’s a sense this might be the perfect collision point: Van still raw but surging, Pantoja still dangerous but inching toward decline. One man walks out with his narrative confirmed. The other has to live with the idea that the first result wasn’t a fluke after all.

Tsarukyan’s long road back to title contention

If the main event is about closure, the co‑main is about reclamation.

Arman Tsarukyan should have already fought for the lightweight title. He was booked to challenge Islam Makhachev in January 2025, also in Los Angeles, only for a weight-cut injury to rip the chance away. Twenty-plus months later, he’s back in the same city, chasing the shot that slipped through his fingers.

Standing in his way is Mauricio Ruffy, a dangerous striker riding a wave of momentum after two thrilling wins this year. Ruffy comes in at +245, a live underdog with knockout power and an attacking style that can turn a fight in seconds. Tsarukyan, a -305 favorite, brings something far less forgiving: elite wrestling and suffocating top pressure.

Ruffy’s vulnerability is no secret. Benoit Saint Denis exposed it in 2025, mauling him on the ground and leaving a blueprint for how to break him. Tsarukyan is built to follow that map, even if he doesn’t have the same instant submission menace. He’s taken down everyone he’s faced in the UFC, including Makhachev in his debut, unless he knocked them out first.

The CBS crew sees a grind before the fall. Every analyst picks Tsarukyan: Campbell and Mahjouri by late TKO, Brookhouse by submission, Mormile and Wise by decision. The expectation is clear – heavy wrestling, relentless pace, Ruffy’s cardio pushed to its limit until something gives.

For Tsarukyan, anything less than a dominant win risks stalling the title conversation yet again. For Ruffy, upsetting the script would flip the division on its head.

Choi vs. Pitbull: fireworks with a ticking clock

If you’re looking for subtlety, Dooho Choi vs. Patricio Pitbull isn’t it.

Choi, “The Korean Superboy,” has rebuilt himself quietly after a brutal three-fight skid once threatened to end his rise. He now rides a three-fight TKO streak, part of a four-fight unbeaten run, walking into UFC 331 as a -285 favorite with his old swagger back.

Across from him stands one of Bellator’s all-time greats. Pitbull, a former two-division champion and a staple of highlight reels for more than a decade, is +215 and clearly in the late chapters of his career. The skills are still there. The body has paid the price. Wars with the likes of Aaron Pico have left visible mileage.

The matchup promises chaos. Both men love exchanges. Pitbull’s grappling edge is real, but dragging the fight into those waters for long stretches at 39 is a hard ask against Choi’s pace and power.

The CBS panel is unanimous here. Every pick goes to Choi, some by decision, others by TKO in the third. The expectation is that Pitbull has moments, maybe even steals rounds, but eventually gets swallowed by pressure he can’t match for 15 minutes.

It’s the kind of fight that can either launch Choi into the fringes of title talk or serve as one last violent stand for a legend who has spent a career refusing to back down.

Gable Steveson steps up, violence promised at light heavyweight

The main card opens with a mix of curiosity and guaranteed chaos.

Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson continues his transition into MMA, a -2100 favorite against fellow prospect Sean Sharaf (+1100). The odds tell the story: Steveson’s wrestling pedigree is so overwhelming that bookmakers expect a one-sided showcase. All five CBS analysts back him to finish – some by submission, others by early TKO – and any stumble here would be a seismic shock.

Before that, or just after depending on the bout order, light heavyweights Iwo Baraniewski (-250) and Alonzo Menifield (+205) promise a short night. Every expert pick has Baraniewski by first-round stoppage, whether labeled KO or TKO. Both men hit hard, both come forward, but the consensus is that Baraniewski’s power and timing end it quickly.

Depth and danger across the card

Beyond the marquee names, UFC 331 runs deep with recognizable threats and pivotal tests.

Heavyweight slugger Robelis Despaigne (-575) meets fan favorite Tai Tuivasa (+425) in a matchup that rarely needs judges. Charles Jourdain (-205) drops to bantamweight against veteran Marlon Vera (+170) in a clash of volume and durability. Casey O’Neill (-230) faces Eduarda Moura (+190) in a women’s flyweight bout that could shape the next wave of contenders.

Further down, Joanderson Brito (-410) takes on dangerous kickboxer Giga Chikadze (+320), Joosang Yoo (-225) meets Michael Aswell Jr. (+185), and middleweights Ryan Gandra (-550) vs. Ozzy Diaz (+410) and Edmen Shahbazyan (-180) vs. Brunno Ferreira (+150) all fight for relevance in a crowded landscape.

Everywhere you look, someone’s future is on the line: prospects trying to break through, veterans trying to stay in the conversation, contenders trying to turn their names into something more permanent.

But the night will be remembered for one question above all.

When Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja finally get time to settle it properly, does youth confirm the takeover, or does a wounded champion come back to reclaim what he still believes is his?