UFC 331 LIVE: Fight card, start time, Joshua Van vs Alexandre Pantoja updates and results tonight

Michael Aswell Jr def. Joosang Yoo via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Aswell Jr gets it done! His aggressive striking in the first two rounds paid off.

Aswell Jr and Yoo look like they’re destined to go the distance, with the latter controlling the American for much of this third and final round. Scores with you in a moment – unless there’s a late finish!

Just 26 seconds into their showdown in Las Vegas, flyweight king Pantoja had suffered a ‘freak’ injury, leaving him clutching his arm while laying on the canvas and wagging his finger at Van – standing above the Brazilian – as the referee waved off the fight.

And after being escorted out of the cage, Pantoja was immediately treated, with backstage reporter Megan Olivi revealing a left-shoulder dislocation.

When Van caught a head kick from Pantoja and shoved him to the canvas, he was showing sharp defence after surviving a few early, chaotic exchanges – the type that Pantoja loves so dearly.

Was Van trying to injure Pantoja’s arm, when he shoved him away? No. Can he take credit for hurting Pantoja enough that the latter could not continue? Yes. Was it as definitive an ending as fans wanted? No. Was it a fair way for Van to win, in a sport as frantic and perilous as MMA? Yes.

Thre prelims continue with a 145lb tilt between Michael Aswell Jr and Joosang Yoo.

Some of you may remember Aswell Jr from his loss to Liverpool’s Luke Riley at UFC London this March.

Following that points loss, he was also outpointed in his last fight – against Gaston Bolanos.

An ecstatic Joshua Van scaled the Octagon wall in a mad scramble. Although an athlete with impeccable control over his body, here he was a young man incapable of suppressing the grin that was stretching his fresh face. At only 24 years old, he had just become the youngest active champion in the UFC – the second-youngest in history, in fact, a matter of months behind the ‘great’ Jon Jones.

It was because Van hadn’t actually beaten Pantoja, people said.

This is the story of Van vs Pantoja 1:

Ryan Gandra def. Ozzy Diaz via first-round knockout (punches, 2:04)

In the first regular prelim of the night, we just saw Gandra stop Diaz by swarming him with wild hooks, leading Diaz to drop against the fence and turtle up.

They weren’t the most-technical strikes from Gandra, but they overwhelmed Diaz, and the ref stepped in with Diaz defenceless on the mat.

Van – 8/11; Pantoja – 11/10

Tsarukyan – 1/3; Ruffy – 9/4

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In the UK, the card will air live on TNT Sports and is also accessible via HBO Max, EE TV, Virgin Media, Amazon Prime Video, and Sky Sports. In the US, Paramount+ will stream the action, with CBS showing a segment of the card.

Joshua Van (C) vs Alexandre Pantoja 2 (flyweight title)

Arman Tsarukyan vs Mauricio Ruffy (lightweight)

Patricio Pitbull vs Dooho Choi (featherweight)

Gable Steveson vs Sean Sharaf (heavyweight)

Alonzo Menifield vs Iwo Baraniewski (light-heavyweight)

Marlon Vera vs Charles Jourdain (bantamweight)

Tai Tuivasa vs Robelis Despaigne (heavyweight)

Michael Aswell Jr vs Joosang Yoo (featherweight)

Ryan Gandra vs Ozzy Diaz (middleweight)

Edmen Shahbazyan def. Brunno Ferreira via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Casey O’Neill def. Eduarda Moura via submission (first-round armbar, 3:22)

Joanderson Brito def. Giga Chikadze via first-round KO (ground and pound, 1:56)