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Van-Pantoja rematch will headline UFC 331 in September
ESPN • • general
Key Points:
- UFC 331, scheduled for September 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, will be headlined by a flyweight title rematch between champion Joshua Van and challenger Alexandre Pantoja.
- Van won the title from Pantoja in December via first-round TKO, but the victory was marred by Pantoja's freak elbow injury early in the fight, prompting calls for a rematch to confirm Van's championship status.
- The event will be co-headlined by a lightweight five-round bout between Arman Tsarukyan, the No. 2 ranked contender, and Mauricio Ruffy, ranked No. 7 and considered a rising title prospect.
- Tsarukyan, on a five-fight winning streak and seen as the top lightweight challenger, was previously scheduled to fight for the title in January 2025 but withdrew due to back spasms.
- Ruffy boasts a strong UFC record of 5-1 with four knockouts and is regarded as one of the most dangerous new contenders in the lightweight division.
