UFC 331 delivered exactly the kind of action fight fans expect from a major UFC card: title-fight drama, spectacular knockouts, slick submissions and one of the biggest heavyweight upsets in recent memory.
The event took place on Saturday, September 19, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, with Joshua Van defending the UFC flyweight championship against former champion Alexandre Pantoja in the main event. When the night was over, the UFC announced its post-fight bonuses, rewarding several of the fighters who produced the biggest moments inside the Octagon.
The bonus list included a $100,000 Fight of the Night award, two $100,000 Performance of the Night bonuses, a special $50,000 Proper Chaos bonus and four $25,000 Finish Bonuses.
Here is the complete breakdown.
Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja Earn Fight of the Night
The biggest bonus of the night went to the two men who headlined the event.
Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja each received $100,000 for Fight of the Night after their five-round flyweight championship rematch.
Van entered the fight as the reigning champion, while Pantoja was attempting to reclaim the title after their first meeting ended just 26 seconds into the contest because of Pantoja’s elbow injury. This time, there was no early stoppage, and the two fighters went the full distance.
Pantoja made a strong start by using his grappling, but Van gradually found his rhythm on the feet. The champion’s boxing became increasingly effective as the fight progressed, and he finished strongly in the fifth round.
Van ultimately won by unanimous decision, with the official scorecards reading 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46.
The victory gave Van another successful title defense, while both fighters left Los Angeles with an additional $100,000 for their efforts.
Arman Tsarukyan Makes a Statement
Arman Tsarukyan collected one of the night’s two $100,000 Performance of the Night bonuses after stopping Mauricio Ruffy in the first round.
The lightweight matchup had significant implications for the division, and Tsarukyan produced the kind of finish that immediately grabbed attention.
Ruffy landed some dangerous strikes early and briefly appeared to trouble Tsarukyan. However, Tsarukyan continued mixing his wrestling with his striking before finding the decisive moment.
Late in the opening round, Tsarukyan connected with a devastating elbow that sent Ruffy crashing down. He followed up with punches, forcing the referee to stop the contest.
It was an emphatic return for Tsarukyan, who had been looking for a statement performance. The $100,000 bonus added another reward to a night in which he made his championship ambitions clear inside the Octagon.
Casey O’Neill Gets $100,000 for Slick Submission
Casey O’Neill also took home $100,000 for Performance of the Night after producing a spectacular first-round submission against Eduarda Moura.
The fight initially appeared to be going Moura’s way on the ground. She managed to take O’Neill down and threatened with an anaconda choke, putting the Australian fighter in a difficult position.
O’Neill, however, remained composed.
She escaped the danger, reversed the position and then launched into a slick armbar transition. O’Neill elevated Moura, adjusted her hips and locked in the submission, forcing the tap.
It was one of the most technically impressive finishes of the event and earned O’Neill the second Performance of the Night award.
Sean Sharaf’s 12-Second Shocker Gets Extra Money
The most unexpected bonus story of UFC 331 involved heavyweight Sean Sharaf.
Sharaf stunned the MMA world by knocking out Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson in just 12 seconds. The left hook came almost immediately and ended Steveson’s undefeated professional MMA run.
Sharaf received the special $50,000 Proper Chaos Bonus, introduced in connection with the second season of MobLand.
But his payday did not stop there.
After the fight, UFC president Dana White announced that he would personally add another $50,000 to Sharaf’s bonus. That brought Sharaf’s total bonus money from the special award and White’s additional payment to $100,000.
The knockout was also reported as the third-fastest finish in UFC heavyweight history, making Sharaf’s 12-second victory one of the defining moments of UFC 331.
Four More Fighters Receive $25,000 Finish Bonuses
The UFC also rewarded four other fighters who secured finishes during the event.
Patricio Pitbull received $25,000 after knocking out Dooho Choi in the first round. The victory gave Pitbull his first UFC finish after moving to the promotion following his lengthy Bellator career.
Marlon Vera also earned $25,000 after stopping Charles Jourdain in the third round. The win was particularly important for Vera because it ended a four-fight losing streak.
Ryan Gandra continued his perfect start to his UFC career by stopping Ozzy Diaz in the opening round. Gandra has now recorded three consecutive first-round knockout victories in his first three UFC appearances, according to post-fight reporting.
Joanderson Brito completed the group after stopping Giga Chikadze with ground-and-pound in the first round. Chikadze showed flashes of his dangerous kicking game early, but Brito capitalized after the Georgian fighter went down and quickly finished the contest.
That means the four Finish Bonus winners each collected an additional $25,000.
Full UFC 331 Bonus List
| Award | Fighter(s) | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Fight of the Night | Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja | $100,000 each |
| Performance of the Night | Arman Tsarukyan | $100,000 |
| Performance of the Night | Casey O’Neill | $100,000 |
| Proper Chaos Bonus | Sean Sharaf | $50,000 |
| Dana White additional bonus | Sean Sharaf | $50,000 |
| Finish Bonus | Patricio Pitbull | $25,000 |
| Finish Bonus | Marlon Vera | $25,000 |
| Finish Bonus | Ryan Gandra | $25,000 |
| Finish Bonus | Joanderson Brito | $25,000 |
UFC’s official post-event coverage also reported that the event generated $8,228,105 in gross total revenue, attracted 19,357 fans and became the highest-grossing event in Crypto.com Arena history.
UFC 331 therefore ended up being about much more than the championship result. Joshua Van strengthened his position as flyweight champion, Arman Tsarukyan delivered a major statement at lightweight, Casey O’Neill produced a slick submission and Sean Sharaf created one of the most memorable heavyweight moments of the year.
And with more than $500,000 in the standard bonuses and special payments handed out across the card, several fighters left Los Angeles with both bigger bank accounts and plenty of momentum for what comes next.
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