UFC 331 hits Los Angeles on Saturday, and the main event is a rematch nobody expected. Joshua Van defends the flyweight championship against Alexandre Pantoja, a man who walked out of their first meeting with a dislocated elbow less than 30 seconds in. Now the two meet again, and the experts at CBS Sports have their own views on who wins.
Van’s Title Defense
Van won the belt when Pantoja’s arm gave out early. The 24-year-old has since defended it once, holding off Tatsuro Taira in a five-round war. That win impressed Brian Campbell, who wrote that Van showed “incredible fighting spirit” and made “mid-fight adjustments” to finish Taira.
Brent Brookhouse sees the other side. He writes that Pantoja is “a very good fighter, but he isn’t likely to beat Van on the feet.” Brookhouse adds that Pantoja is “fairly old for the division and returning from injury,” meaning plenty works against him.
Shakiel Mahjouri agrees the pick is hard. He calls Pantoja “the second-best flyweight ever” who “didn’t lose the title convincingly” and “has the grappling, grit and experience to beat the young gun.” Mahjouri predicts Van’s “striking, bravado and youthful stubbornness” will show up and show out.
The odds reflect the split. DraftKings Sportsbook lists Van as the favorite (-135) over Pantoja (+114). It is a close call, and the writers admit as much. Mahjouri calls it a coin toss, then shoots for the stars and predicts a repeat of Conor McGregor’s shocking knockout of Jose Aldo.
Tsarukyan Faces Ruffy
The co-main event pits Arman Tsarukyan against Mauricio Ruffy in a pivotal lightweight bout. Tsarukyan believes a win puts him in a title fight, but he faces a hard hitter in Ruffy.
Campbell expects Tsarukyan to win by stoppage, citing Ruffy’s “disastrous 2025 loss to Benoit Saint Denis.” Brookhouse agrees, noting Ruffy’s “deficiencies in grappling” where Tsarukyan excels. He predicts a grind, not a quick finish, with Tsarukyan finding a finish in the second half.
Mahjouri is less sure about Ruffy. He credits the man’s training with Alexander Volkanovski but doubts it covers enough ground to beat Tsarukyan. Mahjouri points to Saint Denis’ beating of Ruffy on the ground, saying Tsarukyan is “leagues ahead.”
The odds favor Tsarukyan heavily (-305) over Ruffy (+245).
Full Card, Odds
| Event | Fighter 1 | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Main event | Joshua Van (c) | -135 |
| Main event | Alexandre Pantoja | +114 |
| Co-main | Arman Tsarukyan | -305 |
| Co-main | Mauricio Ruffy | +245 |
| Fighter | Weight class | Opponent | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Van (c) | Flyweight | Alexandre Pantoja | -135 |
| Alexandre Pantoja | Flyweight | Joshua Van (c) | +114 |
| Arman Tsarukyan | Lightweight | Mauricio Ruffy | -305 |
| Mauricio Ruffy | Lightweight | Arman Tsarukyan | +245 |
The pick is simple: Van is the safer bet, but Pantoja is the fighter with the most to prove.
This is a rematch nobody expected, and it is the pick nobody trusts.
Source material: “UFC 331 fight card predictions: Expert picks, odds for Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja in Los Angeles,” CBS Sports.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.