UFC 331 takes place on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with Joshua Van defending the flyweight title against Alexandre Pantoja. For viewers in Brazil, the simplest takeaway is this: the main card starts at 10 p.m. Brasília time and will stream on Paramount+. The broadcast begins earlier, and it helps to distinguish the pre-show, early prelims and prelims so you do not miss the Brazilian fighters competing before the main card.
UFC 331: date, venue and Brazil start times
UFC's Brazilian site advertises a 5 p.m. pre-show, fights starting from 6 p.m. and the main card at 10 p.m., all in Brasília time. The international event page separates the schedule into early prelims at 5 p.m. EDT, prelims at 7 p.m. EDT and the main card at 9 p.m. EDT. On September 19, those times convert to 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. in Brasília. In practical terms, viewers who want every fight should be ready from 6 p.m.; those interested only in the main card can tune in at 10 p.m.
| Stage | Brasília time | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-show | 5 p.m. | Time advertised by UFC Brazil |
| Early prelims / first fights | 6 p.m. | Conversion of 5 p.m. EDT and start of the preliminary action in Brazil |
| Prelims | 8 p.m. | Conversion of 7 p.m. EDT on the international event page |
| Main card | 10 p.m. | Van vs. Pantoja 2 closes the night |
The official references are the UFC 331 event page, the UFC streaming guide and the Portuguese-language event announcement. Because bout order and timing can change close to weigh-ins, it is worth checking the official event page again on September 19.
UFC 331 fight card
The event has five announced main-card bouts plus the preliminary fights. The flyweight title bout headlines the show, while the co-main event between Arman Tsarukyan and Maurício Ruffy is scheduled for five rounds.
| Block | Division | Fight |
|---|---|---|
| Main card | Flyweight — title | Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja |
| Main card | Lightweight | Arman Tsarukyan vs. Maurício Ruffy |
| Main card | Featherweight | Patricio Pitbull vs. Doo Ho Choi |
| Main card | Lightweight | Renato Moicano vs. Brian Ortega |
| Main card | Light heavyweight | Alonzo Menifield vs. Iwo Baraniewski |
| Prelims | Heavyweight | Gable Steveson vs. Sean Sharaf |
| Prelims | Bantamweight | Marlon Vera vs. Charles Jourdain |
| Prelims | Heavyweight | Tai Tuivasa vs. Robelis Despaigne |
| Prelims | Featherweight | Michael Aswell Jr. vs. Joo Sang Yoo |
| Early prelims | Middleweight | Ryan Gandra vs. Ozzy Diaz |
| Early prelims | Middleweight | Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Brunno “Hulk” Ferreira |
| Early prelims | Women's flyweight | Casey O'Neill vs. Eduarda Moura |
| Early prelims | Featherweight | Giga Chikadze vs. Joanderson “Tubarão” Brito |
Which Brazilian fighters are on UFC 331
Eight Brazilian fighters are on the announced card: Alexandre Pantoja, Maurício Ruffy, Patricio Pitbull, Renato Moicano, Ryan Gandra, Brunno Ferreira, Eduarda Moura and Joanderson Brito. That spreads Brazilian interest across almost the entire event rather than concentrating it only in the headliner.
- Alexandre Pantoja: attempts to regain the flyweight title.
- Maurício Ruffy: faces No. 2-ranked lightweight Arman Tsarukyan in a five-round co-main event.
- Patricio Pitbull: meets Doo Ho Choi at featherweight.
- Renato Moicano: faces Brian Ortega in a lightweight bout.
- Ryan Gandra, Brunno Ferreira, Eduarda Moura and Joanderson Brito: compete in the early portion of the event.
Why Van vs. Pantoja 2 is a title rematch
The context is unusual because their first meeting ended almost immediately. At UFC 323 in December 2025, Joshua Van captured the title when Pantoja suffered an elbow injury just 26 seconds into the opening round. The result was official, but the injury prevented the fight from lasting long enough to answer the main sporting questions surrounding the matchup.
Van has not been idle since then: he defended the title against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328, winning by fifth-round TKO. Pantoja, meanwhile, returns as a former champion who had made four successful title defenses before losing the belt. According to the UFC, a win at UFC 331 would make him only the third flyweight in company history to regain the championship, after Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo.
That is why the rematch is for the belt: Van enters as the reigning champion, Pantoja is the No. 1 contender and former champion, and their first bout ended because of a very early injury. The second meeting therefore combines a title defense with a chance to settle, in sporting terms, a rivalry that began abruptly.
What else is worth watching
For Brazilian viewers, the biggest additional attraction is Tsarukyan vs. Ruffy. Tsarukyan is ranked No. 2 at lightweight, while Ruffy is No. 7 and arrives after high-profile victories. The five-round format adds competitive significance. Pitbull vs. Choi and Moicano vs. Ortega add two experienced Brazilian names to the main card, while Brunno Ferreira, Joanderson Brito, Eduarda Moura and Ryan Gandra give fans reasons to watch from the opening fights.
Practical viewing summary
- Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026.
- Venue: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles.
- Announced streaming platform: Paramount+.
- Brazil pre-show: 5 p.m.
- First fights: from 6 p.m.
- Prelims: 8 p.m. based on conversion from the international event page.
- Main card: 10 p.m.
- Main event: Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja for the UFC flyweight title.
The fight card and bout order are subject to change. For a final check on event day, use the official UFC 331 page.
