UFC 331: Van vs. Pantoja 2 DFS Picks & Prop Predictions for Saturday, September 19, 2026

The highly anticipated UFC 331 kicks off on Saturday evening, headlined by the flyweight title bout – a rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja. Van will attempt his second title defense against one of the division’s all-time greats, whom he beat for the belt last December. Pantoja suffered a dislocated elbow within the first 30 seconds of the fight and has not been back in the octagon since losing his belt.

The 12-fight card is shaping up to be one of the best this year, with several big names across the promotion joining in on the action. Let’s break down the best props and DFS picks you need to keep in mind for UFC 331: Van vs. Pantoja 2. Check out our UFC 331 betting trends and fight data as well!

Tai Tuivasa vs. Robelis Despaigne – Robelis Despaigne To Win And Under 0.5 Rounds (+215)

Robelis Despaigne returns to the UFC for a second stint after a disappointing first run in 2024. The Cuban heavyweight made waves after transitioning from his Olympic karate background and quickly became one of the sport’s most dangerous strikers. The 38-year-old opened his professional MMA career with five straight first-round KOs, including one in his UFC debut.

After barely finishing his opponent in the opening round of his very first fight, his next four bouts lasted just 37 seconds combined — the longest clocking in at 18 seconds.

The Olympic bronze medalist’s 100% finish rate ended with back-to-back decision losses that closed out his first UFC run, after which he took a two-year break before returning in MVP MMA and picking up another first-round KO.

He now faces veteran Tai Tuivasa, who appears to be on borrowed time in the promotion. After a standout run in the early 2020s, Tuivasa enters Saturday on a seven-fight losing streak, last winning in the UFC back in February 2022. The 33-year-old also faces a significant physical disadvantage — Despaigne stands 6’7″ with an 84″ reach compared to Tuivasa’s 6’2″ and 75″. The Australian will struggle to close the distance against the towering Cuban, who has already shown he can end a fight with a single strike.

Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy – Over 3.5 Total Rounds (+154)

Arman Tsarukyan returns to the octagon for the first time since his submission victory last November. The Armenian native is considered one of the lightweight division’s top contenders and could have a title shot on the line with a convincing win over the talented Mauricio Ruffy. The two lightweights meet in a five-round co-main event, and we are backing this one to go at least 17.5 minutes based on what we know about both fighters.

Tsarukyan enters as the heavy favorite on a five-fight winning streak. Since joining the UFC in 2019, the 29-year-old has proven to be one of the division’s best wrestlers, using his ground game not only for submissions but for the ground-and-pound that has finished so many opponents throughout his career. He holds a clear grappling advantage over striker Ruffy and has no reason to deviate from the formula that has made him the promotion’s second-ranked lightweight. Expect Tsarukyan to accumulate control time and pick his spots carefully given Ruffy’s striking advantage on the feet.

Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja – Alexandre Pantoja ML (+114)

UFC fans were left asking “what if?” after December’s brief meeting between these two. The freak accident involving Pantoja robbed fans of what could have been a historic fight between two of the division’s top talents. Van’s TKO win ended Pantoja’s eight-fight win streak spanning more than four years. The Brazilian had defended the flyweight title four times before losing to Van, and at one point the UFC seemed willing to sign anyone just to find a credible challenger for what many consider the best flyweight of all time. Based on the 26 seconds we saw, it is impossible to know whether Pantoja would have successfully defended his belt — though his track record makes it hard to argue against him.

The 36-year-old gets his chance at revenge on Saturday, and we are backing the former champion to reclaim his belt from the 24-year-old Van. Pantoja holds a clear advantage on the ground with his jiu-jitsu background and should look to take Van down early and often throughout the five-round bout. While Van may be one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the UFC, Pantoja’s track record suggests the Myanmar native will struggle to finish him on the feet. Pantoja has never been stopped in the UFC and has shown the cardio and finishing ability to dominate opponents even when in difficult positions.

Some rust from the former champion is possible, but Pantoja has all the tools to take the belt back on Saturday night.

UFC 331: Van vs. Pantoja 2 DFS Picks

Country	Player	Opponent	FPPF	Salary
🇦🇲	Arman Tsarukyan	Ruffy	93.9	$9,100
🇺🇸	Michael Aswell Jr.	Yoo	65.0	$7,200
🇧🇷	Alexandre Pantoja	Van	87.3	$7,900
🇨🇦	Charles Jourdain	Vera	68.8	$8,800
🇧🇷	Joanderson Brito	Chikadze	82.4	$9,200
🇧🇷	Brunno Ferreira	Shahbazyan	62.5	$7,800

Arman Tsarukyan ($9,100)

We covered why Tsarukyan enters Saturday as such a heavy favorite in our best props, and adding him to our UFC 331 DFS lineup is a straightforward decision. Whether he racks up points through control time, takedowns, and significant strikes or adds to his 15 career finishes, Tsarukyan should easily justify his price with a dominant co-main event performance.

The 29-year-old has finished three of his last four fights, landing 42 or more significant strikes in each outing outside of his first-round KO of Beneil Dariush. While Ruffy is one of the tougher opponents Tsarukyan has faced, the Brazilian has shown vulnerability on the ground — his only UFC loss came by submission. Expect the Armenian to target that weakness on his way to a dominant win.

Michael Aswell Jr. ($7,200)

Aswell Jr. enters his fifth UFC fight having dropped three of his first four bouts in the promotion. The featherweight is a significant underdog against Joosang Yoo, despite the South Korean coming off a brutal KO loss last October. Aswell has not gotten favorable decisions in his three UFC losses, but has shown a strong chin and the ability to go the distance throughout his career.

The 25-year-old has never been finished in any of his five career losses and now faces a fighter who relies heavily on knockout power. Three of Yoo’s last four wins have come by KO/TKO, and if Aswell can stay upright and outwork him over the rounds, a decision win as the underdog is very much in play.

Alexandre Pantoja ($7,900)

We’re backing Pantoja to win outright, and including the former champion at this price point is an easy call. The overall narrative around Pantoja would look very different if the first fight between these two had played out differently. He closed that fight as a -200 favorite and was in the middle of one of the most dominant runs in flyweight history before dislocating his elbow.

With ample time to recover and prepare, there is no reason Pantoja cannot win back his belt and do so in the manner we know he is capable of. He can match the high-volume striking that Van’s fights often become, but can also end a fight instantly once he secures a takedown and puts his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt to work.

Charles Jourdain ($8,800)

Jourdain appears to be climbing the bantamweight rankings after a tough stretch in 2024. The 30-year-old Canadian enters Saturday on a three-fight winning streak and now faces former title challenger Marlon Vera, who has fallen on hard times since challenging for the belt in 2024 — losing three straight after his defeat to Sean O’Malley. The two could not be in more opposite form, and Jourdain has a real chance to become the first fighter to finish Vera in his career.

Jourdain picked up back-to-back submission wins before his most recent unanimous decision earlier this year. His speed and power have opened up his grappling game, and he could use a similar approach against the resilient Vera, who continues pressing forward despite the punishment he absorbs. Vera’s tendency to trust his chin to a fault could finally backfire here. A finish may be difficult to come by, but Jourdain should dominate the striking output and could replicate the 85-plus strikes landed he produced in his most recent win.

Joanderson Brito ($9,200)

UFC 331 opens with a featherweight matchup between Joanderson Brito and Giga Chikadze, with the Brazilian a heavy favorite over the Georgian. The 38-year-old Chikadze could be nearing the end of his UFC tenure after a three-fight losing streak and a tough draw to open Saturday’s card. He faces the dangerous Brito, who now has 16 career finishes after a submission victory back in June.

Brito has multiple ways to attack Chikadze, who can still hang in fights but will struggle with the Brazilian’s versatility. Chikadze’s age appears to be catching up with him, and he’s picked up just one victory since September 2021. Expect Brito to add to his four UFC first-round finishes and justify his price tag with an early stoppage.

Brunno Ferreira ($7,800)

Brunno Ferreira looks to snap his first career two-fight losing streak when he takes on Edmen Shahbazyan on Saturday evening. The Brazilian middleweight arrived in the UFC with considerable hype off a dominant start to his professional career but has hit a wall against higher-level competition. He enters as an underdog but has the tools to beat Shahbazyan, who also lost in June.

Ferreira’s six UFC finishes suggest he can end this one early, especially against an opponent with four UFC losses by submission or KO. The Brazilian grappler has five career submission wins and should look to take the fight to the ground given Shahbazyan’s track record and the significant height and reach disadvantage Ferreira faces standing. At $7,800, he offers real upset potential against the 28-year-old striker.

Photo Credit: REUTERS