By: Frank Hyden, MMATorch Senior Columnist
UFC 331 was this past weekend and featured a lot of exciting fights, including a big UFC Flyweight Championship rematch. Who won and who lost? Let’s get to the rundown.
UFC 331
GOOD/UGLY- Alonzo Menifield vs. Iwo Baraniewski
They start off exchanging strikes, with Baraniewski hurting Menifield with powerful right hands. Baraniewski gets a takedown and works a bit until Menifield stands shortly before the first round ends. The second round begins with Baraniewski forcing a clinch after Menifield starts scoring with good punches of his own. They separate but Menifield initiates a clinch and they trade for the rest of the second round. The third round starts with some striking exchanges. Things slow way down and they trade some more before the fight ends. We go to the judges to render their verdict.
Note- Menifield suffered a major thumb injury during this fight. There’s pictures of it floating around and if you have a weak stomach, don’t look at it. It’s a compound thumb fracture with the bone sticking out. It’s broken and practically hanging by the skin. There’s a chance he could lose his thumb. I sure hope not but there’s been no word as of the time I’m writing this. I have no idea why the cageside doctor allowed the fight to continue after that injury. It’s incredible incompetence.
Menifield wins the Split Decision to improve to 19-6-1 while Baraniewski is given his first career loss and drops to 9-1. Good win for Menifield.
GOOD- Sean Sharaf stops Gable Steveson
Steveson hits an early leg kick before Sharaf crushes him with a huge left hook that knocks him out just twelve seconds into the fight. Wow.
Sharaf improves to 5-2 while Steveson is handed his first career loss and drops to 4-1. Big win for Sharaf.
GOOD- Patricio “Pitbull” Freire stops Choi Doo-ho
They start off trading strikes. Freire opens a cut above Choi’s eye. They continue trading strikes until Pitbull drops Choi with a powerful right hand, then pounces with more punches and elbows until the referee is forced to jump in to stop the fight three and a half minutes into the first round.
Pitbull improves to 38-9 while Choi drops to 17-5-1 and has his 3 fight winning streak snapped. Good win for Pitbull.
GOOD- Arman Tsarukyan stops Mauricio Ruffy
Ruffy lands some early strikes, causing Tsarukyan to shoot in for a takedown and keep trying when he can’t get it. Tsarukyan stays active, though, and nails Ruffy with a big elbow to the face that knocks him out. A few more elbows land on the way down before the referee can jump in to stop the fight with just seconds to go in the first round.
Tsarukyan improves to 24-3 and has won 6 straight fights while Ruffy drops to 14-3. Good win for Tsarukyan.
GOOD- Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja
Van was looking to defend his UFC Flyweight Championship for the second time here. Their previous fight ended in less than thirty seconds after Pantoja injured his arm.
Pantoja gets a takedown right away and moves to mount and lands an elbow before Van reverses and is now on top. Pantoja gets to his feet and they trade stiff strikes until Pantoja gets another takedown and the first round ends after Van gets to his feet. The second round begins with more tense striking exchanges. Van is landing a lot of heavy strikes but Pantoja is battling back. The volume is just too much, though, and I think we’re tied as the second round ends. The third round starts with Pantoja complaining about another headbutt, he had complained about one to start the second round, but no points are taken. Van is using his quickness to land a lot of strikes and is also stuffing a lot of Pantoja’s takedown attempts. Pantoja does finally get a takedown but Van is quickly back up and they trade until the third round ends.
The fourth round opens with more striking exchanges until Pantjoa completes a takedown. Things slow down as they stymy each other and the fourth round ends. The fifth round commences with some tense striking exchanges. Van’s speed and cardio is giving him the advantage. Van is outstriking Pantoja in this pivotal final round. Van drops Pantoja and they battle until the fight ends. We go to the judges to render their verdict.
Van wins the decision to improve to 18-2 and has won 8 straight fights while Pantoja drops to 30-7. Good win for Van.
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Ciryl Gane (14-2, 1 No Contest) has been promoted from Interim to Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion after Tom Aspinall (15-3, 1 No Contest) has vacated the championship because of ongoing complications from eye injuries caused by Gane fingering him two knuckles deep. Good news, kids, you can foul your way to being champion.
Gane will defend the UFC Heavyweight Championship against Josh Hokit (10-0) at UFC 334 on November 14, 2026.
Also on the UFC 334 card is UFC Bantamweight Champion Kayla Harrison (19-1) defending her title against Amanda Nunes (23-5).
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Comments and suggestions can be emailed to me at hydenfrank@gmail.com and you can follow me on Twitter at @hydenfrank. Thanks for reading and have a good day.
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