UFC 331: What Time Does Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2 Main Event Start?
UFC 331 is headlined by one of the most unusual, yet most hyped-up title rematches in recent memory. Joshua Van defends the flyweight championship against Alexandre Pantoja, the man he took the belt from in just 26 seconds last December after Pantoja suffered a freak elbow injury.
Van is out to prove the first fight wasn’t a fluke, while Pantoja is fighting to reclaim the flyweight championship belt and become a two-time champion. According to UFC 331’s HYPE score from Brian Mazique’s F.I.G.H.T. System™, this card is a “Must-See” event.
For the entire fight card and an in-depth main event breakdown, refer to the previously written UFC 331 informational article.
UFC 331 Details and Start Times
Date: Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026
Location: Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles
Main Card Start Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
Prelims Start Time: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
Early Prelims Start Time: 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT
Streaming:Paramount+
Main Event Octagon Walk Times
The main event between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja begins around 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT, though the exact timing depends on how long the preceding fights last.
Main Event Breakdown
The first meeting between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja ended in controversy. Van caught Pantoja’s kick early, shoved him back, and Pantoja fell awkwardly, dislocating his elbow. Van became champion, but the questions lingered.
Since then, Van successfully defended against Tatsuro Taira in May, showing he belongs at the top.
Pantoja, a longtime dominant champion with four title defenses before the loss against Van, returns after a long layoff from his freak injury.
The stylistic clash between Van’s boxing-heavy approach and Pantoja’s grappling pressure makes this fight a must-watch main event.
Co-Main Event
The co-main event between Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy carries immediate title implications. Tsarukyan has won five straight and believes a victory earns him a lightweight title shot. Ruffy is a knockout artist with nothing to lose and everything to gain.
For Tsarukyan, a loss could permanently derail his championship ambitions. For Ruffy, a win launches him into contention, and a loss will not decrease his stock by much.
Underrated Fights
Outside of the main and co-main events, this card is filled with absolute bangers.
Dooho Choi vs. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (featherweight)
At 35, Dooho Choi remains one of the most exciting action fighters on the roster, with 14 of his 17 wins coming by knockout and already cementing his legacy in the UFC Hall of Fame with his three-round war against Cub Swanson at UFC 206 back in 2016.
Freire is a legend of the sport, a former Bellator featherweight and lightweight champion who holds wins over Michael Chandler, AJ McKee, and Pat Curran.
Despite his legendary Bellator career, he is 1-2 in the UFC with a decision victory over Dan Ige, and decision losses to Yair Rodriguez and Aaron Pico.
Both men are aggressive, both can finish, and both understand what’s at stake. The UFC’s newly announced $50,000 “Proper Chaos” bonus makes this the most likely candidate on the card to produce fireworks.
Marlon Vera vs. Charles Jourdain (bantamweight)
This is a crossroads fight with genuine desperation on one side and momentum on the other.
Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera enters on a four-fight skid, having dropped four consecutive decisions to Sean O’Malley, Deiveson Figueiredo, Aiemann Zahabi, and David Martinez. He desperately needs a win, as he is on the verge of possibly being cut from the UFC.
Jourdain is the favorite, winning three straight since dropping to bantamweight, including a dominant decision over Kyler Phillips in April. Vera’s UFC career likely hangs on a win, while Jourdain can announce himself as a legitimate contender with a victory over a former title challenger.
Michael Aswell Jr. vs. Joo-sang Yoo (featherweight)
Aswell enters on a two-fight skid, and a third straight loss could spell trouble for his UFC tenure. He trains at 4oz Fight Club in Houston alongside flyweight champion Joshua Van, and he’s known for volume striking and durability, having never been finished in his professional career. His one win in the UFC comes from a knockout over Lucas Almeida.
Yoo, meanwhile, returns after an 11-month layoff following his first professional defeat, a second-round KO loss to Daniel Santos at UFC 320. Nicknamed “Zombie Jr.” in honor of his mentor, Korean MMA legend “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung, he made a splash in his UFC debut with a 28-second knockout of Jeka Saragih.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.