Joshua Van to defend flyweight title against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331

The UFC has announced the main event for UFC 331, featuring a flyweight title rematch between champion Joshua Van and former champion Alexandre Pantoja. The event is scheduled for September 19, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Van, who currently holds a 17-2 record, previously captured the title following a controversial encounter with Pantoja at UFC 323, which ended in just 26 seconds due to a dislocated elbow suffered by Pantoja. Van has since successfully defended his belt once against Tatsuro Taira. Following a previous knockout loss to Charles Johnson, Van stated that the defeat humbled him and led to a significant overhaul of his training and work ethic.

The co-main event will feature a five-round lightweight bout between Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy, a matchup with significant championship implications. The card also includes several other bouts, such as Renato Moicano versus Brian Ortega 2 and Patricio Pitbull versus Doo Ho Choi.