UFC 331 ‘Van vs. Pantoja 2’ play-by-play, results & round scoring

Joshua Van (125) vs.
Alexandre Pantoja (125)Arman Tsarukyan (156)
vs. Mauricio Ruffy (155)Patricio Freire (145.5)
vs. Doo Ho Choi (146)Alonzo Menifield
(205.5) vs. Iwo Baraniewski (206)Gable Steveson (240) vs.
Sean Sharaf (241)Marlon Vera (136) vs.
Charles Jourdain (135)Tai Tuivasa (264.5)
vs. Robelis Despaigne (263)Michael Aswell Jr.
(146) vs. Joo Sang Yoo (145.5)Ryan Gandra (186) vs. Osman
Diaz (186)Edmen Shahbazyan
(185) vs. Brunno Ferreira (184.5)Casey O’Neill (125) vs.
Eduarda Moura (125.5)Giga Chikadze (146)
vs. Joanderson Brito (145.5) Sherdog’s live UFC
331 “Van vs. Pantoja 2” coverage will begin Saturday at 5:30
p.m. ET.

UFC 331 live results for Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2 and
the full fight card

Giga
Chikadze (146) vs. Joanderson
Brito (145.5)

Round 1

Featherweights light the fuse for UFC 331 at Crypto.com Arena in
Los Angeles, where Chikadze (15-6, 8-4 UFC) awaits Brito (19-5-1,
7-3 UFC) at 145 pounds. Frank Trigg administers the law and order
and gives the two combatants the green light. Front kick to the
body from Chikadze, who follows it with a straight left. Brito
plows forward behind punches. Chikadze circles away from danger and
cuts loose with a series of kicks, including several to the body.
He throws a high kick and slips.
Brito drives into top position and gets busy with ground-and-pound,
increasing the intensity of his blows with each passing second. He
turns to repeated hammerfists and pounds away on a clearly
dazed-and-confused Chikadze, resulting in the stoppage.

The Official Result

Joanderson Brito def. Giga Chikadze—KO (Punches) 1:57 R1

Casey
O’Neill (125) vs. Eduarda
Moura (125.5)

Round 1

Attention at UFC 331 shifts to the women’s flyweight division, as
O’Neill (11-2, 6-2 UFC) puts Moura (12-2, 3-2 UFC) to the test at
125 pounds. Jason Herzog polices the proceedings. No glove touch.
Moura comes out firing and knocks O’Neill off-balance. She catches
a kick and trips O’Neill to the floor, settling in half guard.
Moura drops elbows and a few short punches. Crowd boos the lack of
action, as Herzog hovers nearby. O’Neill reclaims full guard, but
her Brazilian opponent postures and punches. Moura moves from half
guard to north south and lures O’Neill into an anaconda choke. She
loses her grip after a few tense moments and returns to
ground-and-pound.
O’Neill elevates the Brazilian, rotates her hips and transitions to
a belly-down armbar in one fluid motion. Moura taps in what can
only be described as a stunning and spectacular turn of events.
Clear “Submission of the Year” contender.

The Official Result

Casey O’Neill def. Eduarda Moura—Submission (Armbar) 3:22 R1

Edmen
Shahbazyan (185) vs. Brunno
Ferreira (184.5)

Round 1

Next on the UFC 331 docket: a middleweight clash between Shahbazyan
(16-6, 9-6 UFC) and Ferreira (15-4, 6-4 UFC) at 185 pounds. Mike
Beltran provides the oversight. They start with a cordial glove
touch. Shahbazyan takes the center of the cage and scores with a
low kick. Ferreira circles on the outside. More leg kicks from
Shahbazyan. Ferreira not yet in gear with 90 seconds gone. He
switches to southpaw, and Shahbazyan starts to attack the other
leg. Double jab from Shahbazyan. Beltran warns Ferreira for
extending his fingers. Midway through the round. Shahbazyan stays
on the low kicks and connects them to a one-two. Ninety seconds on
the clock. Shahbazyan stays patient, continues to throw leg kicks
and evades the return fire. Surprisingly little output from
Ferreira. Ferreira intercepts him with a left hook, resets and
jabs. They trade at the end of the round.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Shahbazyan
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Shahbazyan
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Shahbazyan

Round 2

Back at it for Round 2. Shahbazyan again claims the center.
Ferreira stomps at the lead leg and fires a side kick to the body.
Shahbazyan drives home another kick to the lower leg. Ferreira
explodes into a right hand but fails to follow up. Shahbazyan
answers with a low kick, then gets back to his jab. They trade
jabs, and Ferreira whiffs on a wild overhand right. Two minutes to
go in the round. Nice one-two from Shahbazyan, then doubles up on
his jab. Ferreira misses with a spinning elbow but resets and
connects with a right hand. Hard leg kick from the Brazilian
followed by a right hand over the top. Shahbazyan lands two body
kicks, then another. Ferreira stomps at the lead leg. Shahbazyan
answers with a one-two. They exchange punches, and Ferreira catches
an eye poke. Stern warning from Beltran as the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Shahbazyan
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Shahbazyan
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Shahbazyan

Round 3

Ferreira might need a finish with five minutes to go. He ups the
aggression right out of the gate and steps into a right hand.
Shahbazyan kicks at the leg. Ferreira knees the body and fires off
punches in combination, then jabs. Shahbazyan circles back to the
center and returns to his low kicks. Ferreira answers with one of
his own. Sharp one-two from Shahbazyan, who dodges a spinning elbow
and counters with a low kick. Midway through the round. Hard body
kick from Shahbazyan, who resets and fires a left hook to the
liver. Ferreira responds with a right hand over the top. Shahbazyan
avoids a flying knee and clinches along the fence. The crowd boos
his efforts. Ninety seconds on the clock. Shahbazyan scores with
knees to the legs and drives into a takedown. Ferreira stands
without issue but cannot break free. Shahbazyan lands an elbow as
they separate, jabs, changes levels and presses into the clinch.
Ferreria lands a left hand on the break. Shahbazyan rocks the
Brazilian with a jab and follows with a left hook, then floors him
with a right hand near the end of the round.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Shahbazyan (30-27
Shahbazyan)
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Shahbazyan (30-27
Shahbazyan)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Shahbazyan (30-27 Shahbazyan)

The Official Result

Edmen Shahbazyan def. Brunno Ferreira—Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 30-27)

Ryan Gandra
(186) vs. Osman Diaz
(186)

Round 1

Action at UFC 331 stays in the middleweight division, where Gandra
(10-1, 2-0 UFC) locks horns with Diaz (10-4, 1-2 UFC) at 185
pounds. Jonathan Romero adjudicates matters. Off they go. They
circle one another in the center. Romero issues an early warning
for extended fingers. Low kick from Gandra, who jabs to the body
and throws a left hook upstairs. Diaz lands a jab, along with a
standing elbow and an inside leg kick. Vicious multi-punch
combination from Gandra backs up his opponent. He pins the
shelled-up Diaz to the fence with punches, drops him with an
overhand right and finishes with more unabated punches.

The Official Result

Ryan Gandra def. Osman Diaz—TKO (Punches) 2:04 R1

Michael
Aswell (146) vs. Joo Sang
Yoo (145.5)

Round 1

Featherweights step back into the UFC 331 spotlight, as Aswell
(11-5, 1-3 UFC) squares off with Yoo (9-1, 1-1 UFC) at 145 pounds.
Herb Dean answers the call as the third man in the cage and sets
them in motion. Yoo opens with a spinning back kick to the body.
Aswell bobs, weaves and feints. Hard low kick from Yoo, who follows
it with a jab. Aswell scores with a leg kick, then paws with his
lead hand. Strong leg kick from Aswell. Yoo answers with his jab
but eats a right hand on the return. More low kicks and jabs from
Yoo. Aswell follows a series of feints with a powerful overhand
right. They exchange punches in the center of the cage, with both
men landing with significant impact. Strong leg kick from Aswell,
who cuts off a takedown with a front headlock, lands a knee and a
left hand on the break. Yoo gets back to his jab. Another wild
exchange between the two featherweights. More jabs from Yoo. Aswell
responds with a right hand over the top and a low kick. He blocks a
wheel kick before they trade jabs. Another low kick from Aswell,
who backs it up with a one-two. Yoo clinches along the fence as the
round concludes.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Aswell
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Aswell
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Aswell