UFC331 was held in Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena. It was their sixth visit; the last was in April 2018 at UFC227.
This event was due to hold the women’s bantamweight title fight between Kayla Harrison and the returning Amanda Nunes. The fight was postponed a second time after the original date in January 2026 due to Harrison’s neck injury.
From the 12 fights on the card, 7 ended in stoppages, including 3 KOs, 3 TKOs, and 1 submission. With 5 fights went the distance, including 2 split decisions.
TOP PERFORMANCE: SEAN SHARAF
In just 12 seconds of work, Sean Sharaf shocked the world and the reputation of what was supposed to be the next big thing in the UFC. Gable Steveson was not only a Jon Jones prospect, but an Olympic wrestling gold medalist with NFL and WWE training.
So, when he was matched up with Sean Sharaf, with a record of 2-2 and a two-defeat losing streak in the UFC, it was just expected to be a routine Steveson win, with all the trimmings and looking good while doing it.
However, Sharaf had other ideas. He tied for the third-quickest knockout in UFC heavyweight history. He unleashed a vicious left hook to Steveson’s chin, sending him to the canvas and out cold in a highlight-reel knockout.
TOP PERFORMANCE 2: ARMAN TSARUKYAN
Despite a positive career thus far, Arman has faced many disappointments; most were no fault of his own. This was another, as he was scheduled to fight Charles Oliveira at this event for the BMF title, but Charles had to pull out.
Tsarukyan was given a tough replacement in Mauricio Ruffy, who had won five of his last six fights, and his last two wins were brutal knockouts. The consensus was Arman would have to take Ruffy down and finish him on the ground.
However, he ripped up that notion by unexpectedly destroying Ruffy in the first round with a superb elbow to end the fight. What made the win even better was that Arman stayed on the feet and finished the fight standing for a statement win worthy of a title fight.
TOP PERFORMANCE 3: JOSHUA VAN
After winning the title at UFC323 in December, following Pantoja’s dislocated shoulder. Van was eager to tell everyone it was no accident, but meant to be. While he waited for Pantoja’s return, he solidified his champion status with a fifth-round stoppage of Tatsuro Taira.
However, despite what Van implied, he and everyone knew nothing was settled until he got the rematch. But Pantoja was a tough ask; he had four defences of the flyweight title, and would tell anyone who would listen he was coming back for his belt.
In a brutal, exciting five-round brawl that Van needed, he outlasted Pantoja in a fight of desire, toughness, determination and skill. It felt 2-2 going into the fifth, and with the title on the line, Van dropped Pantoja and looked strong as he saw out the round to retain his title.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Casey O’Neill produced a thrilling and skilful armbar finish in a first-round defeat over Eduarda Moura. While mounted from the bottom position, she swept her opponent and smoothly transitioned into an armbar, forcing Maura to tap for a superb win that will live long in the memory.
Patricio Pitbull secured an impressive knockout victory to move to 2-2 in the UFC. He admitted his UFC career had notstarted well, and he needed time to adjust, but he is now settled. He showed just how settled he is with heavy hands to stun and then take out Choi Doo-Ho in the first round with an impressive display.
Ryan Gandra is really making a name for himself with his fifth consecutive first-round stoppage, the last three being in the UFC. He overwhelmed his opponent with quick hands and power, backing him up on the cage and unleashing a barrage of punches to stop him in just over two minutes of the first round.
