Overview
- Joshua Van defeated Alexandre Pantoja by unanimous decision to retain the UFC flyweight title at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026.
- The judges scored the fight 49-46, 49-47 and 50-45, and the result answered questions left by their first meeting that ended early after Pantoja suffered an arm injury.
- Arman Tsarukyan reinforced his lightweight title case with a dramatic first‑round knockout of Mauricio Ruffy while Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire scored a first‑round KO and Sean Sharaf stunned heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson with a 12‑second knockout.
- The California State Athletic Commission published disclosed payouts showing Pantoja earned $650,000 and Van $500,000, but the figures do not include UFC performance bonuses or undisclosed 'side letters' that can raise total pay.
- Because California publicly posts fighter pay, the UFC 331 sheet exposed several six‑figure disclosed salaries and highlighted limits to pay transparency as Van now looks likely to move toward a title defense against top contenders such as Manel Kape.