UFC 331 Staff Picks: Flyweight Titans Collide for Gold
One of the most anticipated flyweight title bouts in recent memory takes place this Saturday at UFC 331, with young phenom Joshua Van defending his championship against former incumbent Alexandre Pantoja.
In the co-main event, top lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan pits himself against surging Brazilian power-puncher Maurício Ruffy.
UFC 331 Main Event
At UFC 328 earlier this year, Van truly came into his own as the undisputed king of the 125-lb division after trouncing undefeated Japanese star Tatsuro Taira, knocking him out after almost 25 minutes of constant output. Set to square off with Pantoja in an exciting runback after defeating him for the belt last year, “Fearless” can silence the doubters if he can put away the Brazilian in empathic fashion.
Attempting to make the fifth defense of his strap this past December at UFC 323, Pantoja wound up on the receiving end of a devastating injury just 26 seconds into his match with Van after dislocating his elbow. Ready to take to the Octagon once more, “The Cannibal” is gearing up for a climatic showdown this weekend at UFC 331 for a chance to take back his crown against his usurper.
UFC 331 Co-Main Event
Winner of five straight fights, Tsarukyan has clearly set himself apart from the rest of 155-lb upper echelon, recording previous standout out triumphs over Beneil Dariush, Dan Hooker, and Charles Oliveira. Should “Batman” take care of business this Saturday after another dominant showing, the door to a title opportunity could burst wide open at the seams.
Looking like a legitimate divisional threat at one point in the past, Ruffy suffered a major setback back in 2025 after being tapped out by Benoît Saint Denis in the wake of a thorough grappling beatdown. However, following a relocation to the Australia to train with current featherweight apex Alexander Volkanovski, the South American slugger has rattled off two colossal finish victories over Rafael Fiziev and Michael Chandler.
More Bouts on the UFC 331 Main Card
Rounding out the main card, Patrício Pitbull faces Choi Doo-ho. Then, Gable Steveson locks horns with Sean Sharaf. Finally, Alonzo Menifield clashes with Iwo Baraniewski.
UFC 311 Predictions and Staff Picks
MMASucka staff picks are composed of four of the world’s leading mixed martial arts organizations: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Professional Fighters League (PFL), ONE Championship (ONE FC), and Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS).
-
UFC picks will include main card fights ranging from four to six matchups per event.
-
PFL picks from main cards for both pay-per-views and regular events.
-
ONE FC and DWCS picks will feature all MMA fights from the event with a minimum of three matchups.
Staff picks in 2025 were won by Hank Strandberg with a record of 216-119.
Find our UFC 311 picks and fight odds below.
Staff records after Noche UFC:
1. Hank Strandberg: 175-88
2. Frazer Krohn: 138-103
3. Drew Zuhosky: 134-131
4. Andrew Benjamin: 29-27
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
Iwo Baraniewski -245
Vs.
Alonzo Menifield +205
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
Hank Strandberg: Baraniewski by First Round Knockout
Drew Zuhosky: Menifield by Unanimous Decision
Frazer Kron: Baraniewski by Second Round Knockout
Staff picking Baraniewski: 2
Staff picking Menifield: 1
Gable Steveson -2700
Vs.
Sean Sharaf +1248
HEAVYWEIGHT
Hank Strandberg: Steveson by First Round Knockout
Drew Zuhosky: Steveson by First Round Knockout
Frazer Kron: Steveson by Second Round Knockout
Staff picking Steveson: 3
Staff picking Sharaf: 0
Doo Ho Choi -275
Vs.
Patrício Pitbull +228
FEATHERWEIGHT
Hank Strandberg: Choi by Unanimous Decision
Drew Zuhosky: Pitbull by Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Pitbull by Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Choi: 1
Staff picking Pitbull: 2
Arman Tsarukyan -325
Vs.
Maurício Ruffy +265
LIGHTWEIGHT
Hank Strandberg: Tsarukyan by Second Round Submission
Drew Zuhosky: Tsarukyan by Unanimous Decision
Frazer Kron: Ruffy by Third Round Knockout
Staff picking Tsarukyan: 2
Staff picking Ruffy: 1
Joshua Van -140
Vs.
Alexandre Pantoja -120
FLYWEIGHT
Hank Strandberg: Van by Unanimous Decision
Drew Zuhosky: Van by Second Round Knockout
Frazer Kron: Pantoja by Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Van: 2
Staff picking Pantoja: 1
