MMA Junkie to Stream UFC 331 Media Day at 2:15 p.m. ET as Van, Pantoja Speak

Q: Why is a top lightweight contender risking his coveted ranking against a dangerous underdog instead of waiting for championship gold?

Arman Tsarukyan is taking the Mauricio Ruffy fight because waiting has offered no certainty, while staying active gives him money, visibility and a path—if not an ironclad guarantee—back to the title. Tsarukyan has said he expected a five-round co-main event against Charles Oliveira, but Oliveira did not take the bout. Rather than lose a spot on a major Los Angeles card and extend a long layoff, Tsarukyan accepted Ruffy on short notice. He has not fought in the UFC since submitting Dan Hooker in November, and he has made clear that inactivity, not danger, is the bigger risk to his career momentum. He also believes the UFC has signaled real stakes. The bout was booked for five rounds, an unusual choice for a non-title lightweight fight, and Tsarukyan said after meeting UFC executive Hunter Campbell that a win should put him in line for the title shot he wants. Even he acknowledges nothing is fully guaranteed, especially in a crowded division where champion Justin Gaethje is not expected to return this year. The risk is obvious. Ruffy is a dangerous striker on the rise, and people around him, including former coach Pablo Sucupira and teammate Alexander Volkanovski, believe his takedown defense has improved enough to threaten an upset. But Tsarukyan’s calculation is straightforward: he is 29, says he is healthy, wants to stay busy, will earn the biggest purse of his career, and sees this as a No. 1-contender-caliber fight rather than a needless gamble.

Q: Can a resilient veteran harness the raw emotion of a hometown return to derail an undefeated knockout artist?

Yes — Alonzo Menifield has a realistic upset path, but it depends on surviving Iwo Baraniewski’s early storm and turning the fight ugly. The factual case for Menifield is strong. He is a 38-year-old UFC veteran, 18-6-1 as a pro and 11-6-1 in the promotion, with a reputation as a “prospect killer.” He has beaten younger, rising opponents before and is coming off a first-round TKO of Zhang Mingyang in May. This fight is also a meaningful emotional spot: Menifield was born in Los Angeles, and UFC 331 marks his first fight in his home city since leaving it. Given his life story and durability through adversity, the hometown element could sharpen his resolve rather than overwhelm him. But the danger is obvious. Baraniewski is 27, undefeated at 9-0, and 3-0 in the UFC with three knockout wins and three Performance of the Night bonuses. He has finished all three UFC opponents in less than four minutes total and has not needed to show his deeper grappling game because his punching speed and timing have ended fights so quickly. Menifield has been knocked out four times and can be hittable when he presses. The matchup turns on whether Menifield can force clinches, wrestle, and drag Baraniewski past Round 1. Baraniewski has never fought into a second round in the UFC, so his cardio and composure in extended exchanges remain untested. If Menifield extends the bout, the upset becomes very plausible. If he cannot, Baraniewski’s knockout momentum likely continues.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 16

MMA Junkie said it will begin a live stream of UFC 331 media day at 2:15 p.m. ET Wednesday, ahead of Saturday’s card at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena.
Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja — headlining Van vs. Pantoja 2 — are scheduled to speak to reporters, along with Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy.
Archived videos of each fighter’s session will be posted for viewers who miss the live stream, extending access beyond the event itself.
The media day serves as the final promotional stop before UFC 331, which streams Saturday on Paramount+.