MMA
UFC 331: 'Van vs. Pantoja 2' Live Results and Highlights
Published
1 month agoon

The Octagon returns to Los Angeles for tonight's UFC 331 event, a 12-bout fight card headlined by Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2.
Van and Pantoja originally collided at UFC 323 in December of last year, where ‘The Fearless' walked away with the promotion's coveted men's flyweight title after ‘The Cannibal' suffered a nasty arm injury the rendered him unable to continue (see that here).
Joshua Van (17-2 MMA) has since successfully defended the 125lbs strap, this after earning a fifth-round TKO victory over Japanese standout Tatsuro Taira. The 24-year-old will enter tonight's rematch sporting a seven-fight winning streak.
Meanwhile, Alexandre Pantoja (30-6 MMA) will be returning to the Octagon for the first time since suffering the aforementioned arm injury against Van at UFC 323. Prior to that setback, ‘The Cannibal' was riding a seven-fight winning streak, a stretch which included four successful title defenses over the likes of Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, Kai Asakura and Kai Kara-France.
UFC 331 is co-headlined by a highly anticipated lightweight bout featuring Arman Tsarukyan taking on MaurÃcio Ruffy.
(via Zuffa LLC)
Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA) will enter the contest on a five-fight winning streak, with his most recent Octagon victory coming against Dan Hooker via second-round submission in November of 2025. Prior to that triumph, ‘Batman' had earned a split decision win over current BMF title holder Charles Oliveira at UFC 300.
Meanwhile, MaurÃcio Ruffy (14-2 MMA) was most previously seen in action at June's UFC Freedom 250 event, where he scored an impressive first-round TKO win over former lightweight title challenger Michael Chandler. The hard-hitting Brazilian has gone 4-1 over his past five fights, with his lone setback in that time coming against Benoit Saint Denis by way of submission.
If that wasn't enough to get you interested, tonight's UFC 331 main card lineup also features a featherweight matchup between PatrÃcio Pitbull and Doo Ho Choi.
Pitbull (37-9 MMA) will enter the bout looking to rebound, this after suffering a unanimous decision loss to Aaron Pico at April's UFC 327 event. Prior to that setback, the former Bellator champion was coming off a unanimous decision victory over Dan Ige.
Meanwhile, Doo Ho Choi (17-4-1 MMA) currently boasts a three-fight winning streak, this after scoring TKO victories over Bill Algeo, Nate Landwehr and Daniel Santos. Prior to those impressive finishes, the Korean standout had fought Kyle Nelson to a majority draw.
Get all of tonight's live results and highlights below (refresh for updates):
UFC 331 Main Card (Paramount+, 9 p.m. ET)
Joshua Van (125) vs. Alexandre Pantoja (125) – Van def. Pantoja by unanimous decision (49–46, 49–47, 50–45)
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
Arman Tsarukyan (156) vs. Mauricio Ruffy (155) – Tsarukyan def. Ruffy via KO (elbow) at 4:57 of Round 1
🚨🇦🇲 Arman Tsarukyan 100% earned a title fight next with this performance 👠🔥🔥 #UFC331 pic.twitter.com/hKpFb4FWsA
— FightLuck (@FightluckBet) September 20, 2026
ARMAN KNOCKS MAURICIO RUFFY OUT COLD!!!
📺 #UFC331 on @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/v7mDUuLQGI
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) September 20, 2026
Patricio Pitbull (145.5) vs. Doo Ho Choi (146) – Pitbull def. Choi via KO (punches) at 3:28 of Round 1
PICTURE PERFECT 👊@PatricioPitbull just delivered the finest performance of his UFC career so far!
[ #CryptoCom #UFC331 is LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/8ldv8PA9Cy
— UFC (@ufc) September 20, 2026
Gable Steveson (240) vs. Sean Sharaf (241) – Sharaf def. Steveson via KO (punch) at 0:12 of Round 1
UFC 331
SEAN SHARAF 1 Punch KO ON GABLE
STEVESON 👀 pic.twitter.com/0SX90OdcNu— Mando (@mando5000) September 20, 2026
Alonzo Menifield (205.5) vs. Iwo Baraniewski (206) – Menifield def. Baraniewski by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
ATOMIC GOT IT DONE 😤
Alonzo Menifield wins a close Split Decision at #CryptoCom #UFC331! pic.twitter.com/dlmaZGfhYy
— UFC (@ufc) September 20, 2026
UFC 331 Prelims (Paramount+, 7 p.m. ET)
Marlon Vera (136) vs. Charles Jourdain (135) – Vera def. Jourdain via TKO at 2:02 of Round 3
CHITO GETS THE FINISH IN LA
What a performance by @ChitoVeraUFC at #CryptoCom #UFC331! pic.twitter.com/bx21eEG9lb
— UFC (@ufc) September 20, 2026
Tai Tuivasa (264.5) vs. Robelis Despaigne (263) – Despaigne def. Tuivasa by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Big Boy is back 🙌
Robelis Despaigne leaves #CryptoCom #UFC331 with the Split Decision win over Tai Tuivasa! pic.twitter.com/LaQH6N0gbL
— UFC (@ufc) September 20, 2026
Michael Aswell (146) vs. Joo Sang Yoo (145.5) – Aswell def. Yoo by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Underdog gets it done! ✅@AswellMichael takes the Split Decision over JooSang Yoo at #CryptoCom #UFC331! pic.twitter.com/yQDM6U0hgp
— UFC (@ufc) September 20, 2026
Ryan Gandra (186) vs. Ozzy Diaz (186) – Gandra def. Diaz via TKO (punches) at 2:04 of Round 1
OK so @Gandra_Ryan has scary power 😳
He just overwhelmed Ozzy Diaz to get the first round TKO at #CryptoCom #UFC331! pic.twitter.com/qrgD4iaVQZ
— UFC (@ufc) September 19, 2026
UFC 331 Early Prelims (Paramount+, 5:30 p.m. ET)
Edmen Shahbazyan (185) vs. Brunno Ferreira (184.5) – Shahbazyan def. Ferreira by unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 30-27)
BY UNANIMOUS DECISION 🙌
Great victory for @EdmenShahbazyan at #CryptoCom #UFC331! pic.twitter.com/srwhceTOdx
— UFC (@ufc) September 19, 2026
Casey O'Neill (125) vs. Eduarda Moura (125.5) – O'Neil def. Moura via submission (armbar) at 3:22 of Round 1
OUT OF NOWHERE 🤯
This armbar from @KingCaseyMMA was INSANE!
[ #CryptoCom #UFC331 is LIVE NOW on @ParmountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/xceHHhXptj
— UFC (@ufc) September 19, 2026
Giga Chikadze (146) vs. Joanderson Brito (145.5) – Brito def. Chikadze via KO (punches) at 1:57 of Round 1
SETTING THE TONE 😤
Joanderson Brito with the wild TKO and celly to kick off #CryptoCom #UFC331!!
[ WATCH ON @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/V41650djAs
— UFC (@ufc) September 19, 2026
Who are you picking to win tonight's flyweight title fight rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja? Share your predictions in the comment section Penn Nation!
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
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Ciryl Gane defended from cheater accusations by two former UFC champions: "He wasn’t going for it on purpose"
Published
12 hours agoon
October 30, 2026
Zuffa LLCTwo former UFC titleholders are coming to the defense of Ciryl Gane amid a cheater label.
Some believe that Gane has bent the rules in his favor in past fights, particularly with eye pokes and illegal strikes. “Bon Gamin†came under fire for his double eye poke foul against Tom Aspinall, who still hasn't fought since Oct. 2025 due to his injuries. Gane was also scrutinized for landing illegal elbows to the back of Alex Pereira's head in their UFC Freedom 250 fight back in June.
While some have called Gane a cheater, former rivals Dominick Cruz and TJ Dillashaw disagree with that notion. During a recent edition of the “Love & War Podcast,†Cruz said that during his fighting days, he'd take the blame himself if he was ever got poked in the eye (via MMAFighting).
“I always said if you can poke me in my f*cking eye, I'm doing something wrong,†Cruz said. “You can punch me in my head. Trying to my head is so f*cking hard, if you can poke me in the eye, that's my problem, so we agree on that and I think that's why he's not a cheater.â€
Dillashaw agreed with Cruz, saying that he thinks people have the wrong idea about Gane over his accidental fouls.
“I don't think he is [a cheater],†Dillashaw said. “It's gotten blown out of the water since the Pereira fight. Obviously, everyone's a Pereira fan and they wanted him to win and they want to call the illegal blows. He wasn't going for it on purpose and Pereira's moving his head as he's hitting those. I think Herb Dean's unfortunately catching a lot of flack as well, too.â€
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This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
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Paulo Costa slams UFC pay after Rampage Jacksons $7 million claim
Published
18 hours agoon
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Costa has renewed his criticism of fighter pay in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.
A resurfaced clip shows UFC middleweight champion Sean
Strickland asking former light heavyweight champion Quinton
“Rampage” Jackson about his biggest UFC payday. Jackson said he
earned $7 million, including pay-per-view compensation, for
fighting Chuck
Liddell. Costa contrasted that figure with his estimate of what
a current UFC fighter earns.
Paulo Costa compares Rampage Jackson’s claimed $7 million
payday with estimated Raoni Barcelos earnings
Jackson attributed the payday to a contract he signed with World
Fighting Alliance, where he said his manager also had a promotional
role. According to Jackson, the deal included lucrative
pay-per-view terms that the UFC inherited when its parent company
acquired WFA assets in December 2006.
“$7 million, Chuck Liddell, that was pay-per-view, though,†Jackson
told Strickland. “I left
Pride. My manager, he became like the manager of the show. So,
he knew exactly that it was his biggest deal. They didn't want to
have pay-per-view, so he gave me a crazy pay-per-view deal. Then
Dana White bought WFA and had to honor my pay-per-view deal.â€
Costa compared Jackson's account with Raoni
Barcelos' stoppage loss to Raul Rosas
Jr. last month. Barcelos, 39, lost consciousness during a
fifth-round grappling exchange. Costa speculated that Barcelos
earned between $80,000 and $100,000, contrasting that estimate with
Jackson's claimed earnings from his 2007 victory over Liddell.
“UFC paid Rampage 7 million to fight Chuck what is comprehensive,â€
Costa wrote on X. “Not comparing fighters relevance but comparing
it with Barcelos x Rosas Jr 5 rds and had serious injuries on brain
damage, made 80k~100k ?? Raoni Barcelos is around 40s and probably
retired due to that injury.â€
UFC paid RAMPAGE 7 million to fight CHUCK
what is comprehensive. Not comparing fighters relevance but
comparing it with Barcelos x Raul RosaJr5 rds and had serious
injuries on brain damage 🧠made 80k~100k ?? Raoni
Barcelos is around 40s and PROBABLY retired due that injury— Paulo
Costa (@BorrachinhaMMA)
October 15, 2026
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