UFC 331: Oliveira - Tsarukyan 2, the revenge too far?
Summary
On September 19, Los Angeles lights up the octagon again. Under the spotlights of the Crypto.com Arena, Charles Oliveira defends his BMF belt against Arman Tsarukyan. Two years after their first war, the rematch arrives: same corridor, same tension, only one winner.
The UFC sets up shop in Los Angeles for the first time since 2018.
The program in brief
- Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
- ️ Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles
- Main event: Charles Oliveira – Arman Tsarukyan 2, BMF belt
- Stakes: the UFC 300 rematch and the next lightweight title shot
- Broadcast: Paramount+ (United States) / RMC Sport (France)
Oliveira – Tsarukyan 2: the rematch the lightweight division demanded
Some fights leave a debt. This is one of them. At UFC 300 in April 2024, Arman Tsarukyan had narrowly beaten Charles Oliveira on a split decision — three judges, two camps, a victory stolen by a hair. Two years later, the roles have changed. Oliveira now holds the BMF belt, won this year against Max Holloway. Tsarukyan remains the number one lightweight contender, the one the whole division already sees as a future champion.
The duel pits two worlds against each other. On one side, “Do Bronx”: the Brazilian UFC record holder for finishes, a ground magician who can end a fight with a submission out of nowhere. On the other, a Tsarukyan carved from granite: suffocating wrestling, sharp striking, perfect pace control. The first seeks chaos. The second wants to control every second. The winner will likely walk away with the next ticket for the lightweight title.
The card is still being built two months before the event, and the UFC has not yet sealed the official lineup. But the experts’ message is clear: this rematch will headline the night in Los Angeles.
The breakdown
Three words to know before turning on the screen:
- BMF belt: an honorary UFC title awarded to the most spectacular fighter. It is not tied to any weight class.
- Lightweights: the premier division under 70 kg, the densest and most contested in the sport.
- Split decision: when the three judges disagree — two see one winner, the third leans to the other. The narrowest margin possible.
Van – Pantoja, Vera – Jourdain: the card heats up
A main event does not make a night. And under the headliner, UFC 331 is already stacking heavy fights. At the top of the undercard is a rematch for the flyweight title (under 57 kg): champion Joshua Van versus Alexandre Pantoja, the former king of the division who wants his crown back. Five rounds at the summit of the lightest, where speed defies belief.
The only officially confirmed fight so far sends two styles head-to-head: Marlon “Chito” Vera, the Ecuadorian with the lethal knee, against Charles “Air” Jourdain, the hot-headed Quebecer, in the bantamweight division. Add Ozzy Diaz – Ryan Gandra at middleweight and the women’s duel Casey O’Neill – Eduarda Moura at flyweight: the backbone of a night that will only grow. More names will drop by September.
Focus – their first war at UFC 300
Before the rematch, you have to revisit the original. In April 2024, Oliveira and Tsarukyan traded blows for three intense rounds, until the tightest verdict. The full round-by-round summary is right here.
Los Angeles lights up the UFC
The setting matters as much as the fight. With UFC 331, the organization returns to Los Angeles for the first time since 2018 — only its sixth visit to the City of Angels. The Crypto.com Arena, the former Staples Center where Kobe wrote his legend, transforms for one night into a cauldron for the most anticipated fight of the season.
At Project X Paris, we vibe to these nights: when sport becomes spectacle, when a whole city holds its breath for one last minute. Streetwear and the octagon share the same DNA — boldness, the street, instinct. On September 19, Los Angeles will not sleep.
Did you know?
The last time the UFC planted its cage in Los Angeles was at UFC 227 in August 2018. Eight years of waiting for California fans: needless to say, the Crypto.com Arena will be sold out well before the first bell.
The Radar prediction
On paper, Tsarukyan’s wrestling poses a real problem: he knows where to take Oliveira and how to keep him there. But “Do Bronx” as BMF champion is no longer the same man as at UFC 300. Sharper, freer, with a belt to defend and a rematch to take. One single hold, one single mistake from the Armenian, and the Brazilian turns the night to his advantage.
Our read: a fight that flips late, in the championship rounds, where Oliveira’s heart has always made the difference. The rematch tastes like redemption — and redemption stories at the UFC often end on the ground, arms raised.
Meet under the spotlights
One belt, one rematch, one city waiting for it. On September 19, Oliveira and Tsarukyan settle their scores in Los Angeles. The MMA season starts here.
#UFC331 #OLIVEIRA #TSARUKYAN #MMA #LOSANGELES #RADARPXP