UFC 331 brings a championship rematch to Los Angeles, while Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz headlines a big boxing night in San Diego.
Fight fans get one of the busiest Saturdays of September this week.
The UFC returns to Los Angeles with UFC 331, headlined by Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja running back their unusual first meeting for the flyweight championship. The card also features a major lightweight showdown between Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy.
Boxing has plenty to offer as well. Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz defends his interim WBC super lightweight title in San Diego, Jesus Ramos faces an unbeaten mandatory challenger on the same card, and two undefeated cruiserweights collide in Manchester.
Here are Fight Week’s 5 Fights to Watch This Week.
1. Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja II
MMA — UFC Flyweight Championship
Saturday, September 19 — Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles
Paramount+
There may not be a more intriguing rematch on the UFC calendar.
Joshua Van defends the flyweight championship against former champion Alexandre Pantoja after their first meeting ended only 26 seconds into the opening round when Pantoja suffered an elbow injury.
Van walked away with the title but removed much of the controversy surrounding his championship reign in May, successfully defending the belt with a fifth-round TKO victory over Tatsuro Taira.
Now Pantoja finally gets the chance to win back the championship he previously defended four times.
Before losing the title, Pantoja had built one of the strongest résumés in UFC flyweight history, defeating Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, Kai Asakura and Kai Kara-France during his championship run.
Saturday should finally answer the question the first fight could not:
Who is really the best flyweight in the UFC?
Why watch: A championship rematch with unfinished business — and hopefully this time we actually get the fight.
2. Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz vs. Nestor Bravo
Boxing — Interim WBC Super Lightweight Championship
Saturday, September 19 — Pechanga Arena, San Diego
DAZN
If you like pressure fighting, this is probably the boxing match to circle.
Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (28-3-2, 18 KOs) returns to defend his interim WBC super lightweight championship against Puerto Rico’s Nestor Bravo (24-1, 17 KOs).
Cruz has become one of boxing’s most reliable action fighters. He rarely wastes time feeling out an opponent and instead looks to close distance, attack the body and turn fights into physical battles.
Bravo brings some serious dimensions of his own.
At 5-foot-9 with a 70-inch reach, he owns significant height and reach advantages over the 5-foot-4 Cruz. Bravo also carries legitimate power, with 17 knockouts in 24 victories.
That creates the obvious question:
Can Bravo use his length to keep Pitbull outside, or will Cruz turn it into the type of close-range fight he loves?
Why watch: Cruz almost guarantees action, and Bravo has the physical tools and punching power to make this interesting.
3. Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy
MMA — UFC Lightweight Co-Main Event
Saturday, September 19 — Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles
Paramount+
The UFC 331 co-main event could have enormous consequences at 155 pounds.
No. 2-ranked lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan faces surging Brazilian Mauricio Ruffy, currently ranked No. 7.
Tsarukyan enters on a five-fight winning streak and has already established himself as one of the most complete fighters in the lightweight division. His recent run includes victories over Dan Hooker and former UFC champion Charles Oliveira.
Ruffy may be the more dangerous wildcard.
The Brazilian has produced consecutive stoppage victories over Rafael Fiziev and Michael Chandler and has quickly climbed into the lightweight title conversation.
The matchup is straightforward but fascinating.
Ruffy wants space to strike.
Tsarukyan wants to find out what happens when Ruffy has an elite wrestler constantly threatening takedowns.
And unlike most co-main events, they will have five rounds to figure it out.
Why watch: A legitimate title contender against one of the division’s fastest-rising finishers.
4. Jesus Ramos Jr. vs. Meiirim Nursultanov
Boxing — Interim WBC Middleweight Championship
Saturday, September 19 — Pechanga Arena, San Diego
DAZN
The Cruz-Bravo undercard features a fight that deserves much more attention.
Arizona’s Jesus “Mono” Ramos Jr. (24-1, 19 KOs) defends his interim WBC middleweight championship against unbeaten mandatory challenger Meiirim Nursultanov (20-0, 11 KOs).
Ramos is still only 25 years old but has already accumulated considerable high-level experience. His aggressive southpaw style and heavy punching have made him a difficult matchup as he has moved up in weight.
Nursultanov presents a different type of challenge.
The unbeaten Kazakh stands six feet tall and enters with the confidence of a fighter who has never lost as a professional.
For Ramos, this is an opportunity to continue establishing himself as one of the names to watch at middleweight.
For Nursultanov, it is the biggest opportunity of his career.
Why watch: A young champion faces an undefeated mandatory challenger with a perfect record on the line.
5. John Hedges vs. Pat Brown
Boxing — British & Commonwealth Cruiserweight Championships
Saturday, September 19 — Co-op Live, Manchester, England
DAZN
Sometimes the best fights happen before either fighter becomes a household name.
That could be the case here.
Unbeaten cruiserweights John Hedges (12-0, 3 KOs) and Pat Brown (6-0, 6 KOs) meet in Manchester with the British and Commonwealth championships at stake.
Hedges brings the greater professional experience.
Brown brings the frightening knockout percentage.
The 2024 British Olympian has stopped all six opponents since turning professional and now receives a major step up after barely a year in the paid ranks.
Adding to the atmosphere, Brown fights in Manchester with what should be a heavily partisan crowd behind him.
The event listing also has the WBA International and IBF Intercontinental cruiserweight titles attached to the matchup.
Why watch: Two undefeated prospects, championship belts and a genuine test of whether Brown’s knockout power is ready for the next level.
Fight Week’s Must-Watch Fight
This week, Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja II gets the nod.
Their first meeting gave us a result without really giving us a fight.
Pantoja’s injury brought his championship reign to a sudden end, while Van has since done exactly what a new champion needed to do — successfully defend the belt.
Now there should be no excuses.
If Van wins again, he can put the strange circumstances of the first fight behind him and establish himself unquestionably as the division’s top fighter.
If Pantoja regains the championship, one of the greatest flyweight runs in UFC history gets another chapter.
For boxing fans, Pitbull Cruz vs. Nestor Bravo is the one to watch. Cruz’s pressure combined with Bravo’s size and power gives that matchup the potential to turn into a war.
And don’t overlook Tsarukyan vs. Ruffy. There may not be a championship attached to it Saturday night, but the winner could have a major say in what happens next at the top of the UFC lightweight division.
Los Angeles. San Diego. Manchester.
September 19 is going to be a busy day for fight fans.
Fight Week will be following the biggest boxing and MMA stories throughout the week.
