Dana White Halts Tsarukyan-Ruffy UFC 331 Faceoff as Sep. 19 Card Heats Up

Q: Can Pantoja avenge his injury-tainted loss and reclaim the flyweight crown from Joshua Van?

Yes — Pantoja has a very real chance to reclaim the flyweight title, but it looks close to a true 50-50 fight. The main reason is that the first bout settled almost nothing competitively. Van won the belt at UFC 323 after Pantoja suffered a dislocated elbow just 26 seconds in, so there was no extended striking, grappling or cardio battle to show who was actually better that night. Pantoja has since said he is fully recovered, and his team has described his rehab as strong enough that he could have returned earlier. There is also a strong résumé case for Pantoja. Before losing the belt, he had defended the flyweight title four times and built one of the division’s best recent runs. That experience matters in a five-round championship rematch, especially against a younger champion who is still being tested at the top level. At the same time, Van has done important work since winning the title. He followed the injury-tainted victory by stopping Tatsuro Taira in the fifth round at UFC 328, which gave him a legitimate title defense and suggested he can handle pressure in deep waters. He is also on a long winning streak and appears increasingly comfortable with the spotlight. So Pantoja can absolutely avenge the loss, especially if he can drag Van into veteran-style scrambles and championship adjustments. But Van’s momentum, youth and proven finishing ability make him more than a placeholder champion. This rematch is credible, necessary, and highly competitive.

3 articles · Updated · MMA Fighting · Aug 14

Dana White stepped in at Friday’s UFC 331 press conference, separating Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy before their first faceoff could escalate.
Tsarukyan’s history drove the intervention: he headbutted Dan Hooker during a final staredown before UFC Qatar last year, and White moved quickly when Tsarukyan advanced as Ruffy extended a fist.
The Los Angeles event’s main-event faceoff also turned tense, with flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja and Joshua Van arguing through the press conference before a chippy staredown.
UFC 331 is set for Sep. 19 at Crypto.com Arena, with Van-Pantoja headlining and Tsarukyan-Ruffy serving as a lightweight title eliminator in the co-main event.