In Los Angeles, Joshua Van and Arman Tsarukyan both made a case for the top of their divisions during a wild night at UFC 331, which packed Crypto.com Arena with fans for the promotion’s first event in the city in eight years.
The main event saw Van keep his flyweight title with a five-round win over Alexandre Pantoja, and the co-main featured a first-round knockout when Tsarukyan ended Mauricio Ruffy. The crowd in Los Angeles was loud, and the fighters gave them the kind of action that made the night stand out.
Van’s Rematch Triumph
Van went back to the ring to protect his flyweight title for a second time, this time against Pantoja, who had already been beaten by him in a fight that ended after 26 seconds because Pantoja suffered an injury. Pantoja returned to the ring in search of revenge, pushing the pace of the bout at a breakneck rate in order to win.
The man born in Myanmar rose through the field and claimed the championship, and he did so by striking Pantoja in the closing round, leaving no doubt in the eyes of the judges.
Van’s Evolving Skill Set
Van has been competing in the UFC for just three years, and he has already stepped into the Octagon 12 times. His last four appearances have featured some of the flyweight division’s best fights of the modern era.
The bout against Tatsuro Taira in Round 5, which Van won in May, required him to make mid-fight adjustments before surging late to finish it and claim his first title defense. That fight went on to be called an instant classic. His other notable win came in 2025, against Brandon Royval, which was decided on the judges’ scorecards and later earned that result fight of the year honors.
Van, still young at 24 years old, has emerged as one of the sport’s top fighters. He displayed a neat array of boxing skills that repeatedly made Pantoja pay for pushing forward. His wrestling also got better against Pantoja, a Brazilian legend who still looked to be in pound-for-pound form at 36.
The endurance and resilience that define Van set him apart from the rest of the field. At the same time, he is also gaining a deeper understanding of the technical aspects of his sport. Both qualities combined are a frightening prospect for the rest of the division.
Tsarukyan’s Knockout Statement
Tsarukyan made a statement with his brutal first-round knockout of Mauricio Ruffy. Some 20 months after he withdrew from a UFC 311 lightweight title shot due to injury on just 24 hours’ notice, Tsarukyan returned to Los Angeles with a dominant win.
Saturday’s crowd treated Tsarukyan like a superstar, a reaction that has built up during the time he was away, gained through social media alone. That time was spent while Dana White, UFC CEO and president, kept him waiting for a title chance.
The sixth straight win by Tsarukyan in dominant fashion should close out any conversation about Justin Gaethje granting Ilia Topuria an immediate rematch after his dismantling of the former two-division titleholder in June.
Tsarukyan has proven himself worthy of another chance to compete for the crown.
Steveson’s Stunning KO Loss
Gable Steveson, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist and five-time NCAA All-American, entered his bout with Sean Sharaf as a massive -2400 favorite. Steveson had spent just over nine minutes of actual fight time across four pro bouts, all of which ended in the first round.
The +1100 underdog Sharaf unleashed a combo just 12 seconds in that ended with a flush left hook and knocked Steveson cold. It was one of the biggest upsets, from a numerical standpoint, in the sport.
The Numbers From UFC 331
- UFC 331: First event in Los Angeles in eight years
- Main event: Joshua Van defends flyweight title vs. Alexandre Pantoja
- Co-main event: Arman Tsarukyan knocks out Mauricio Ruffy
- Pantoja’s first fight against Van: ended after 26 seconds due to injury
- Van’s UFC record: 12 fights in three years, three of his last four fights among the best in the division
- Steveson’s favoriting: -2400 favorite, Sharaf +1100 underdog
- Steveson’s career time: Just over nine minutes across four pro bouts
The Los Angeles Setting
The circumstances suited Tsarukyan well. He had pulled out of a UFC 311 lightweight title shot because of an injury, the withdrawal coming with only 24 hours’ notice. That decision left him needing to find a longer route back into contention.
The dominant win on the way back to Los Angeles gave him a chance to remind everyone why he had been in contention all along.
What This Night Proves
The evening in Los Angeles demonstrated that experience still carries weight in MMA. Steveson’s campaign as the clear and undisputed future of the division did not secure a win, and the absence of video proof that he possessed real fighting qualities like a chin and the ability to last beyond one round eventually caught up with him.
Through the storm, Van displayed a willingness to endure and push onward, and his performance also reflected a continually evolving skill set. He had an answer for everything thrown his way by Pantoja, and his takedown defense and grappling looked truly world class.
Six straight victories have silenced any remaining doubt about Tsarukyan’s place at 155 pounds. He was forced to take the long road back to contention after withdrawing from a fight because of injury, but he made a statement with a brutal knockout that proved he has fully earned a second title shot.
The Takeaways From Los Angeles
The biggest takeaway from UFC 331 is that Joshua Van has become as must-see TV as any fighter on the UFC roster. His rematch with Pantoja was no different, and Van took a massive step forward on his path to true stardom by headlining a huge event in Los Angeles.
As a competitor, Van carries a fighting spirit that stands above nearly everyone else at the elite level of the sport. He keeps performing hard and fresh in the championship rounds when it matters the most.
The second lesson here is that Arman Tsarukyan’s move up to 155 pounds can no longer be disputed. His brutal first-round knockout of Mauricio Ruffy made a powerful statement, and the crowd received him as the superstar he has become since his time away.
The third takeaway is that Steveson’s stunning KO loss proved experience still matters. He was being promoted as the outright future of the division, but his four pro bouts amounted to just over nine minutes of actual fight time.
The evening served as a reminder that the sport’s top competitors are still capable of producing the kind of action that keeps fans on the edge of their seats.
Source material: “UFC 331 results, takeaways: Joshua Van emerges as a top talent; Arman Tsarukyan earns his title shot,” CBS Sports.
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