Van Retains Title, Tsarukyan Earns Shot

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Summary

Joshua Van retained his UFC flyweight title by defeating Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331, winning via unanimous decision. The event, held at Crypto.com Arena, drew a record gate of $8.3 million. Arman Tsarukyan earned a Performance of the Night bonus after knocking out Mauricio Ruffy. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire secured his first UFC knockout, while Sean Sharaf stunned Gable Steveson with a 12-second knockout. Other results included Marlon “Chito” Vera’s TKO victory and Casey O’Neill’s armbar submission.

Our Reading

The routine arrives with confidence.

Van’s boxing skills were sharp, Pantoja’s jiu-jitsu was wasted.

Tsarukyan found the clinch, Ruffy was drained, then knocked out.

Pitbull finally knocked someone out, Sharaf made history with a 12-second finish.

UFC events are just big fights with bigger paychecks.

Author: Evan Null

UFC 331: Van Defends Title, Tsarukyan Shines

Joshua Van successfully defended his UFC flyweight title against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331, winning via unanimous decision. The event, held at Crypto.com Arena, was a record-breaking night, drawing $8.3 million in gate revenue. Van’s strategic boxing approach overwhelmed Pantoja, who tried to use jiu-jitsu to take control but failed. The fight was named Fight of the Night, and is being considered for 2026 Fight of the Year.

Arman Tsarukyan, the number-one lightweight contender, earned a Performance of the Night bonus after knocking out Mauricio Ruffy with a pair of standing elbows in the first round. Tsarukyan controlled the fight from the start, using the clinch to slow Ruffy down and eventually finish him. The win has fans speculating about a potential title shot for Tsarukyan.

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, who had struggled in his first three UFC fights, finally secured his first knockout in the Octagon, defeating Doo-Ho Choi in just 3:38. “Pitbull” called out Jean Silva for his next bout, signaling a potential title shot. Meanwhile, Sean Sharaf delivered one of the biggest upsets in UFC history by knocking out Gable Steveson in just 12 seconds, earning a $100,000 bonus.

Marlon “Chito” Vera made a strong return to the win column, defeating Charles Jourdain via TKO after a dominant performance. Vera was faster, stronger, and more effective in all aspects of the fight, leading to a stoppage due to injury. Casey O’Neill also earned a Performance of the Night bonus after securing a submission via armbar in the first round.

The event concluded with a strong undercard, featuring several notable wins and performances. With UFC 331 in the books, the promotion is set to return to Las Vegas next week, with Raul Rosas Jr. taking on Raoni Barcelos in a bantamweight headliner.

UFC 331: Record Gate, Big Upsets, and Title Retention

The UFC 331 event at Crypto.com Arena was a massive success, drawing a record gate of $8.3 million. Joshua Van retained his flyweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Alexandre Pantoja, who had previously held the belt. Van’s boxing skills were on full display, as he outmaneuvered Pantoja and kept him on the defensive throughout the fight.

Arman Tsarukyan delivered a standout performance, earning a Performance of the Night bonus after knocking out Mauricio Ruffy in the first round. Tsarukyan used the clinch to control the fight and eventually finished Ruffy with a pair of devastating elbows. The win has fans speculating about a potential title shot for Tsarukyan, who is currently the number-one lightweight contender.

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire made a statement with his first UFC knockout, defeating Doo-Ho Choi in just 3:38. The win marked a turning point for “Pitbull,” who had struggled in his first three UFC bouts. Meanwhile, Sean Sharaf shocked the crowd by knocking out Gable Steveson in just 12 seconds, earning a $100,000 bonus for the win.

Marlon “Chito” Vera also had a strong performance, defeating Charles Jourdain via TKO after a dominant display. Vera was faster, stronger, and more effective in all aspects of the fight, leading to a stoppage due to injury. Casey O’Neill added to the night’s highlights with a submission victory via armbar, earning a Performance of the Night bonus.

The event featured a strong undercard, with several notable wins and performances. UFC 331 was a night of high drama, record-breaking attendance, and impressive performances from fighters across the card.

UFC 331: Van’s Dominance, Tsarukyan’s Rise, and Sharaf’s Shocking Win

Joshua Van made a statement at UFC 331, retaining his flyweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Alexandre Pantoja. Van’s boxing skills were on full display, as he outmaneuvered Pantoja and kept him on the defensive throughout the fight. The event was a record-breaking night, with a gate of $8.3 million, and the Van vs. Pantoja fight was named Fight of the Night.

Arman Tsarukyan continued his rise as a top contender, earning a Performance of the Night bonus after knocking out Mauricio Ruffy in the first round. Tsarukyan used the clinch to control the fight and eventually finished Ruffy with a pair of devastating elbows. The win has fans speculating about a potential title shot for Tsarukyan, who is currently the number-one lightweight contender.

Sean Sharaf delivered one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, knocking out Gable Steveson in just 12 seconds. The win earned Sharaf a $100,000 bonus, with UFC promoter Dana White matching the amount. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire also had a strong performance, securing his first UFC knockout after a dominant display against Doo-Ho Choi.

Marlon “Chito” Vera made a strong return to the win column, defeating Charles Jourdain via TKO after a dominant performance. Vera was faster, stronger, and more effective in all aspects of the fight, leading to a stoppage due to injury. Casey O’Neill added to the night’s highlights with a submission victory via armbar, earning a Performance of the Night bonus.

The event concluded with a strong undercard, featuring several notable wins and performances. UFC 331 was a night of high drama, record-breaking attendance, and impressive performances from fighters across the card.

UFC 331: Van Retains Title, Tsarukyan and Sharaf Shine

Joshua Van retained his UFC flyweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331. The fight was named Fight of the Night, and the event set a record gate of $8.3 million. Van’s boxing skills were on full display, as he outmaneuvered Pantoja and kept him on the defensive throughout the fight.

Arman Tsarukyan, the number-one lightweight contender, earned a Performance of the Night bonus after knocking out Mauricio Ruffy in the first round. Tsarukyan used the clinch to control the fight and eventually finished Ruffy with a pair of devastating elbows. The win has fans speculating about a potential title shot for Tsarukyan.

Marlon “Chito” Vera made a strong return to the win column, defeating Charles Jourdain via TKO after a dominant performance. Vera was faster, stronger, and more effective in all aspects of the fight, leading to a stoppage due to injury. Casey O’Neill added to the night’s highlights with a submission victory via armbar, earning a Performance of the Night bonus.

UFC 331: Van’s Victory, Tsarukyan’s Knockout, and Sharaf’s Shocking Win

Joshua Van retained his UFC flyweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331. The event, held at Crypto.com Arena, drew a record gate of $8.3 million. Van’s boxing skills were on full display, as he outmaneuvered Pantoja and kept him on the defensive throughout the fight. The fight was named Fight of the Night and is being considered for 2026 Fight of the Year.

Marlon “Chito” Vera made a strong return to the win column, defeating Charles Jourdain via TKO after a dominant performance. Vera was faster, stronger, and more effective in all aspects of the fight, leading to a stoppage due to injury. Casey O’Neill added to the night’s highlights with a submission victory via armbar, earning a Performance of the Night bonus.