# UFC 331 Lineup Confirmed for Los Angeles: Van vs. Pantoja 2 Headlines Crypto.com Arena Bouts

**By Rosa Delgado**  \nPublished September 14, 2026  \nUpdated September 14, 2026

> UFC 331 hits Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on September 19 with Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2 leading a slate that features Shahbazyan vs. Ferreira and several international pairings.

When the Ultimate Fighting Championship arrives at Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on September 19, 2026, the promotion returns to Southern California with a fight card headlined by a rematch. Scheduled for a 5:00 PM start on Paramount+, official event listings confirm that the headline spot belongs to Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2.

The marquee matchup puts Van back in action following his battle against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328 in Newark on May 9, a performance that earned Fight of the Night honors. Facing Pantoja for the second time, Van steps into top billing for the Los Angeles event as the promotion anchors its late-summer calendar in California.

## Middleweight Pairings: Shahbazyan and Ferreira Seek Turnaround

Adding established talent to the bill, middleweight competitors Edmen Shahbazyan (16-6) and Brunno Ferreira (15-4) meet on the main portion of the event. Both fighters enter Crypto.com Arena looking to rebound from recent setbacks earlier in the season.

Shahbazyan looks to bounce back after dropping a bonus-winning three-round decision against Brendan Allen in June, a performance that earned Fight of the Night recognition at the Meta APEX on June 6. That defeat halted a three-fight winning streak across 2025, during which Shahbazyan earned victories over Andre Muniz, Andre Petroski, and Dylan Budka.

Ferreira arrives with equal urgency. After securing a 3-0 record in 2025 capped by a decision victory over former title contender Marvin Vettori, Ferreira has suffered consecutive losses in 2026 against Gregory Rodrigues and Ikram Aliskerov. A victory in Los Angeles would stabilize Ferreira's trajectory, while a third straight defeat would stall his positioning.

## Cross-Border Matchups Complement Los Angeles Schedule

Beyond the headliner and the middleweight contest, UFC 331 features a prominent international card structure described as a Brazil vs. The World theme. The matchups reported for the Los Angeles show include:

- **Renato Moicano vs. Brian Ortega**
- **Patricio Pitbull vs. Doo Ho Choi**
- **Ryan Gandra vs. Ozzy Diaz**
- **Eduarda Moura vs. Casey O'Neill**

## Calendar Roadmap and Horizon Bouts

UFC 331 arrives during an active stretch on the 2026 schedule. The event follows Noche UFC: Silva vs. Delgado at Glendale's Desert Diamond Arena on September 12, where Rahiki and McMillen took home Fight of the Night honors.

Following the trip to Los Angeles, the promotion continues with Dana White's Contender Series and UFC Fight Night: Rosas Jr. vs. Barcelos at the Meta APEX on September 26. The schedule then transitions to Salt Lake City's Delta Center on October 3 for UFC 332: Silva vs. Wang, followed by UFC 333: Volkanovski vs. Evloev at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena on October 24, UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden on November 14, and UFC 335 at Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena on December 12.

## Evidence-Led Forecast: Van vs. Pantoja 2

**Decisive Element:** Van comes into the headline slot backed by recent bonus-winning form from his fight against Taira at UFC 328, while Pantoja brings previous experience from their first encounter. The decisive factor lies in which fighter establishes ring control early and enforces rhythm during initial exchanges.

**Key Uncertainty:** With both athletes entering the rematch at different stages of their recent competition cycles, execution in the opening round remains the primary variable. Shifts in timing or adjustments from their first bout could decisively alter the momentum at Crypto.com Arena.

## Sources

- [espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mma/schedule/_/league/ufc) — original
- [mmafighting.com](https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/501954/ufc-331-adds-middleweight-veterans-to-upcoming-los-angeles-card) — original
- [westcoastradio.tv](https://westcoastradio.tv/ufcfightcard/) — original