UFC 331: Arman Tsarukyan and Gable Steveson Highlight Los Angeles Fight Card

Arman Tsarukyan Faces Mauricio Ruffy in Lightweight Clash

Arman Tsarukyan returns to Los Angeles for a three-round lightweight bout against Mauricio Ruffy on September 19, 2026. Tsarukyan enters the matchup as the No. 2-ranked lightweight, carrying a professional record of 23 wins and 3 losses with 9 knockouts. Tsarukyan pulled out of a scheduled lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev at UFC 311, a decision that altered his trajectory with the promotion. While that withdrawal damaged his initial standing, it pushed him to aggressively build his brand, transforming him into a major box office attraction on this Los Angeles card. Standing across the Octagon is Brazil’s Mauricio Ruffy, ranked No. 7 in the division with a 14-2-0 record featuring 13 knockouts. Ruffy rebuilt his approach under featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski after suffering a wrestling-heavy defeat against Benoit Saint Denis last year. Ruffy’s coaching staff highlights his improvements in defensive grappling, though Tsarukyan presents a uniquely challenging test on the canvas.

Gable Steveson Continues Heavyweight Development Against Sean Sharaf

Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson makes a quick turnaround to face U.S. Marine Sean Sharaf in a heavyweight bout on the UFC 331 undercard. Steveson enters with a 4-0-0 professional record, matching Sharaf’s 4-2-0 mark. Training under Jon Jones, Steveson made a successful promotional debut at UFC 329, where he largely kept the contest on his feet and out-struck an overmatched opponent. With world-class wrestling credentials permanently available in his back pocket, the primary intrigue surrounding Steveson’s appearance centers on whether he chooses to utilize his grappling pedigree or continues expanding his striking repertoire.

Patricio Pitbull Meets Doo Ho Choi in Featherweight Showdown

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire continues his UFC tenure against “The Korean Superboy” Doo Ho Choi in a featherweight matchup on September 19, 2026. Freire brings a 37-9-0 career record into the Octagon, while Choi holds a 17-4-1 mark. Freire has experienced mixed results since making the jump to the UFC later in his career, entering this weekend at 39 years old. Choi, meanwhile, has rebounded from a three-fight skid by putting together an unbeaten streak across his last four outings. A victory over Freire would allow Choi to crack the featherweight elite and capture the No. 15 ranking currently held by the veteran.

Full Fight Card and Broadcast Schedule

UFC 331 features a main event showcasing flyweight champion Joshua Van defending his title against Alexandre Pantoja. The event is scheduled to begin on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET (2:00 PM PT) in the United States, with streaming available via Paramount+. The preliminary and main card bouts span multiple weight classes in Los Angeles, including a bantamweight clash between Marlon Vera and Charles Jourdain, and a heavyweight pairing of Tai Tuivasa and Robelis Despaigne.