Joshua Van cemented his status as the undisputed UFC flyweight champion at UFC 331 in Los Angeles, delivering a striking masterclass to defeat Alexandre Pantoja via unanimous decision. The judges scored the contest 49-46, 49-47, and 50-45, handing the 24-year-old Myanmar native a definitive victory that settled the narrative surrounding their initial encounter.
The two fighters first met last December, where Van claimed the title after Pantoja suffered a freak elbow dislocation just 26 seconds into the bout. While Van went on to defend his belt against Tatsuro Taira in May, he remained eager to prove his superiority against the long-reigning Brazilian. Reflecting on his victory, which improved his professional MMA record to 18-2, Van declared, “A lot of people said that was an accidental win… well, doubt me now.”
The fight began with intense exchanges as Pantoja secured a takedown before Van responded with a well-placed elbow. During the break, Van’s corner urged him to adopt a more calculated approach, advising him, “You’re too good to brawl with this guy.” Van followed this direction, picking Pantoja apart with jabs in the second round and landing fluid combinations in the third. Despite Pantoja securing a takedown in the fourth, Van dominated the final frame, dropping the veteran with an overhand right to secure the decision.
In the co-main event, lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan bolstered his championship aspirations by knocking out Mauricio Ruffy with a right elbow with only four seconds remaining in the first round. The victory, which extended his win streak to six, prompted a callout of champion Justin Gaethje. “I knew my time would come, so I was patient,” stated Tsarukyan.
Featherweight action saw former Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull secure his first UFC stoppage victory by dismantling Dooho Choi. Pitbull utilized sharp volume striking to set up a devastating right hand that forced a TKO stoppage just three minutes and 28 seconds into the opening round, effectively ending Choi’s three-fight finishing streak.
The heavyweight division witnessed one of the year’s most significant upsets as Sean Sharaf stopped Gable Steveson in only 12 seconds. Steveson entered the cage as a heavy betting favorite, but Sharaf overwhelmed him in the opening seconds with a barrage of strikes. The 12-second finish stands as the third-fastest knockout in the history of the UFC heavyweight division.
The tension following the heavyweight shocker was palpable, as a visibly frustrated Steveson exited the Octagon immediately, refusing to remain while Sharaf celebrated his landmark victory in front of the Los Angeles crowd. The report also notes that defeating the Brazilian via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-47, 50-45) in the main event on Saturday night, undisputed flyweight champion Van cemented his reign atop the 125-pound (56.7kg) division. The report also notes that van, the first UFC champion from Myanmar, defended the belt against Tatsuro Taira in May but was left waiting to seal his status as the best in the division as 36-year-old Pantoja recovered from the injury. The report also notes that former four-time, two-division Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull (38-9 MMA) earned his first UFC stoppage win, dismantling South Korea’s Dooho Choi via total knockout (TKO) within three minutes and 28 seconds of the opening round, in featherweight action. The report also notes that a promotional mainstay who has competed under the UFC banner since 2014, pitbull snapped a three-fight finishing streak for Choi.
