After such a long wait, the time has finally come—Pantoja and Van will face off again inside the Octagon. They’re ready for UFC 331 on Saturday night in Los Angeles.
These two warriors haven’t faced each other since UFC 323, when Joshua Van defeated the Brazilian in just 26 seconds of the first round following a severe elbow injury; on that occasion, they were the co-main event of the night. And there’s no doubt that Pantoja has been waiting for this night to get that thorn out of his side.
Van is coming off a TKO victory in May over Japan’s Tatsuro Taira in five rounds, and he wants to prove he’s the true world champion. However, Pantoja wants to reclaim the title he lost—one that should never have slipped from his grasp. This fight promises plenty of power and explosiveness from both fighters!
I’m not going to talk about the co-main event since I don’t follow those fighters much, but I think Ruffy has the advantage, at least in height—though I’m not sure if that will be enough.
Next, I’m looking forward to seeing Patricio “Pitbull” face off against Choi Doo-ho, since Pitbull always guarantees exciting and bloody bouts. We need to enjoy watching Patricio—at 39, he’s very close to retirement, and we’re going to miss him, as the courage he shows in every fight is admirable.
Alonzo Menifield vs. Iwo Baraniewski is a fight I think will be over in a matter of seconds, so you can’t even blink during that bout. Iwo, the Polish fighter, is undefeated at 9-0 and is a fighter to keep a close eye on because he’s quite dangerous; he’s going to be the talk of the town in that weight class.
My heart is with Marlon Vera. The Ecuadorian will be facing Charles Jourdain. I think, like any fight, it will be quite tough, but I’m confident that Vera will come out with his hands raised at the end of the bout; I believe Vera has what it takes to win this fight.
The Australian Tai Tuivasa will be facing the 2.01 giant, Robelis Despaigne. This fight is almost guaranteed to end in a KO. I’ve always liked Tuivasa because of his fighting style, however, this time I’m rooting for Robelis because I have a soft spot for fighters with a Taekwondo background. I think the Cuban could win the fight as long as he knows how to contain Tai’s attacks, since Tai has explosive punches. It’s impossible to pick a favorite in this fight—we’ll see who holds the key to victory.
In the Early Preliminaries, the standout bout is between Scotland’s Casey O’Neill and Brazil’s Eduarda Moura. Both have solid fight records, are definitely ones to watch, and—above all—have aggressive styles—the kind the crowd loves and that get them out of their seats.
Well, that’s all, folks—the show is guaranteed for yet another Saturday night. Fists will fly, and the excitement will be intense when these gladiators face off in the UFC Octagon.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
