UFC 331 brings together a flyweight title rematch and a lightweight top-contender bout on the same night.
However, it is difficult to say that the order of the next opportunities will be determined by wins and losses alone in either fight.
Here is why the card scheduled for September 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles leaves different questions to consider.
3-Line Summary
1. UFC 331 is scheduled for September 19
2. Van and Pantoja are meeting again at flyweight
3. A Tsarukyan win does not guarantee a title shot
The First Fight Lasted Just 26 Seconds—What Van Wants to Prove Again
The UFC 331 main event is a men’s flyweight title fight between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja. Van, the Myanmar-born champion, told MMA Junkie that he intends to prove he can beat Pantoja again heading into this fight. He predicted a finish before the end of Round 3, but that remains the fighter’s own plan and forecast.
The two first met at UFC 323. At the time, Van took the title from Pantoja in just 26 seconds. However, Pantoja injured his arm early in the fight, and reports said there was a reaction that the bout ended before it had enough time to fully develop. Van believes his movement led to the injury and has argued that he is a legitimate champion.
That is why this rematch is not simply a chance to face the same opponent again. Because the first fight was so short, it gives Van an opportunity to once again demonstrate the meaning of his first win, while Pantoja has a chance to overturn a defeat that ended quickly. That assessment, however, is pre-fight context, and the result of UFC 331 is not yet known.
This will be Van’s first UFC main event. He said the announcement was so special that the entire gym erupted, but explained that he gradually settled those emotions with time. Even as the weight of a title fight has grown, his approach suggests an effort to return to the routine of training and preparation.
He began last year with an undercard fight against Rei Tsuruya in March and competed four times before winning the title in December. In May this year, he stopped Tatsuro Taira with punches in the final round to make his first successful defense, and the two received Fight of the Night bonuses. The central point Van made was that he wants to maintain his activity level even after becoming champion.
Why a Tsarukyan Win Does Not Automatically Mean a Title Shot
In the co-main event, Arman Tsarukyan will face Mauricio Ruffy at lightweight. Tsarukyan told MMA Fighting that even a win in this fight would not guarantee that his next bout becomes a title fight. At UFC 331, the most realistic statement is not a victory but his recognition that it is not guaranteed.
His comments come against the backdrop of an extended layoff and missed opportunities. 19 months ago, Tsarukyan was scheduled to challenge Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight title at UFC 311, but withdrew during fight week because of an injury. The report said that issues outside the arena compounded matters afterward, and that the UFC passed him over for title opportunities several times.
In the meantime, he made weight as a replacement fighter at the vacant-title-fight weigh-in for UFC 317, and finished Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar in November. Even so, that résumé alone does not mean his next title shot has been secured. This matchup reflects a situation in which it is difficult to calculate a title fight directly from rankings and recent wins alone.
The fact that lightweight champion Justin Gaethje said he did not plan to fight again in 2026 after defeating Ilia Topuria to win the belt also influenced Tsarukyan’s decision. Tsarukyan had been waiting for a title fight, but said he accepted the offer because Los Angeles felt like a place almost like home to him. This is the fighter’s explanation, not an official confirmation from the UFC.
Tsarukyan said he initially agreed to a matchup with Charles Oliveira, but Oliveira withdrew because of circumstances involving a friend, and Ruffy became the replacement opponent. He described it as a wrestler-versus-striker matchup. The expectation that it will be a fight fans enjoy should likewise be distinguished as Tsarukyan’s assessment, not a result.
Changes Brought by Wrestling Outside the Octagon
Tsarukyan has recently combined training and competition with the Real American Freestyle (RAF) wrestling organization. In a report by MMA Sucka, he said his grappling had improved, allowing him to create more submissions in sparring than before. He explained that freestyle wrestling had also helped with clinches, leg attacks, and double-leg takedowns.
His activities have not been limited to the UFC. He has competed in submission grappling matches and tournaments across several combat sports, and believes those experiences have helped him develop as a mixed martial artist. He has also said that, if he becomes UFC champion, he wants to fight more often in the Octagon, but that is a future hope, not a confirmed bout plan.
After UFC 331, on October 3, he is reportedly scheduled to wrestle Dylan Danis at RAF 14 for the inaugural RAF middleweight crossover title. Tsarukyan also said he wants to further refine his boxing. A schedule spanning multiple disciplines shows the context that he has not been inactive during his layoff, but it does not determine the order of title contenders in the UFC lightweight division.
When watching UFC 331, the key in the flyweight division is the case for the rematch, while at lightweight it is the distance between a win and a title shot. A successful defense by Van, a title reclamation by Pantoja, or a victory by Tsarukyan or Ruffy are all outcomes that have not yet occurred. What is confirmed is the card scheduled for September 19 and the fighters’ statements that each is looking beyond that fight.
References
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