UFC 331 took place on Saturday night at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The main event was a rematch between flyweight champion Joshua Van and former champion Alexandre Pantoja. Their first fight ended in just 26 seconds after Pantoja suffered a freak arm injury. This time, the two fighters went the full five rounds. Van won by unanimous decision with scores of 49-46, 48-47, and 50-45. The fight was praised as a Fight of the Year contender.
Van came into the rematch after defending his title against Tatsuro Taira. Pantoja was returning for the first time since his injury. He had been one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport. Van was ranked No. 10 on Uncrowned’s pound-for-pound list. Pantoja was ranked No. 2.
In the co-main event, lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan faced Mauricio Ruffy. Tsarukyan was on a five-fight win streak and looking to secure a title shot. He won the fight by knockout using elbows at 4:56 of the first round. It was a brutal finish and made a strong case for his first title opportunity.
The main card also featured several other big results. Patricio Pitbull beat Doo Ho Choi by TKO at 3:28 of the first round. In a historic upset, Sean Sharaf knocked out Olympic champion Gable Steveson in just 12 seconds of the first round. Alonzo Menifield defeated Iwo Baraniewski by split decision with scores of 29-28, 28-29, and 29-28.
On the preliminary card, Marlon Vera beat Charles Jourdain by TKO at 2:02 of the third round. Robelis Despaigne defeated Tai Tuivasa by split decision. That loss tied Tuivasa with the UFC’s all-time record for most losses. Michael Aswell Jr beat Joo Sang Yoo by split decision. Ryan Gandra defeated Ozzy Diaz by TKO at 2:04 of the first round.
The event started at 5:30 PM ET with the early prelims. The regular prelims began at 7 PM ET. The five-fight main card started at 9 PM ET. The entire event streamed live on Paramount+. The early prelims were also available on UFC Fight Pass.
UFC 331 Results: Main Card
Main Event: Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja
Joshua Van won a clear unanimous decision to keep his flyweight title. This was a rematch, and Van left no doubt this time, using great boxing and takedown defense to win on all three judges’ scorecards (49-46, 49-47, 50-45). He proved he is the best flyweight in the world.
Co-Main Event: Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy
Arman Tsarukyan made a huge statement with a first-round knockout. He caught Ruffy with a brutal elbow in the final seconds of the round (at 4:56), sending him crashing to the canvas. This win likely earns Tsarukyan the next shot at the lightweight title.
Patricio “Pitbull” Freire vs. Doo Ho Choi
Patricio Pitbull scored an impressive first-round knockout, his first in the UFC. He hurt Choi on the feet with a clean right hand and then finished him with follow-up punches at 3:28 of the round. After the win, he called out another fighter, Jean Silva.
Sean Sharaf vs. Gable Steveson
Sean Sharaf pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history with a stunning 12-second knockout. He landed a single left hook that knocked the heavily hyped prospect Gable Steveson out cold. It was one of the fastest finishes in heavyweight history.
Alonzo Menifield vs. Iwo Baraniewski
Alonzo Menifield won a tough split decision to open the main card. He broke his thumb in the first round but showed incredible heart to keep fighting and win the close bout (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). This was the first loss of Baraniewski’s career.
FAQs
Q. Who won the UFC 331 main event?
A. Joshua Van defeated Alexandre Pantoja by unanimous decision.
Q. How did Arman Tsarukyan beat Mauricio Ruffy?
A. Tsarukyan won by first-round knockout with elbows.
Q. Who scored a 12-second knockout at UFC 331?
A. Sean Sharaf knocked out Gable Steveson in 12 seconds.
Q. Who did Patricio Pitbull defeat?
A. Pitbull defeated Doo Ho Choi by first-round TKO.
Q. How did Alonzo Menifield win his fight?
A. Menifield defeated Iwo Baraniewski by split decision.
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