The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is heading back to downtown Los Angeles for the first time in eight years, with UFC 331 scheduled to take place at Crypto.com Arena on September 19.
The promotion announced the event on Saturday, marking its return to the venue after UFC 227 was held there in August 2018. According to Sportsnet, UFC 331 will be the sixth UFC event hosted in Los Angeles, with every previous event in the city taking place as a numbered pay-per-view card.
UFC 331 date, venue and tickets
UFC 331 will be held on September 19, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the Orange County Register, tickets for the event will go on sale on Friday through AXS. While the promotion has confirmed the venue and date, no official main event or full fight card has been announced.
What fights have been confirmed?
Although the complete lineup remains under wraps, one bout has already been moved to UFC 331.
Sportsnet reported that former bantamweight title challenger Marlon Vera will face Canada’s Charles Jourdain after their fight, originally scheduled for UFC Fight Night: du Plessis vs. Usman, was rescheduled for the Los Angeles card.
The Orange County Register also noted speculation surrounding a potential lightweight title contender bout between Arman Tsarukyan and former champion Charles Oliveira. However, the UFC has not officially confirmed the matchup.
The winner of that rumored contest could earn a future title opportunity against newly crowned lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, who claimed the belt with a TKO victory over previously unbeaten Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14.
UFC returns to downtown Los Angeles
The UFC last held an event at the arena, then known as Staples Center, on August 4, 2018, when TJ Dillashaw defeated Cody Garbrandt by first-round knockout in the main event of UFC 227 to reclaim the bantamweight championship.
Also Read: White House UFC attack plot linked to 12 suspects across four states; new details emerge
While the promotion has staged events elsewhere in Southern California since then, it has not returned to downtown Los Angeles. Its most recent event in the region was UFC 311 at Intuit Dome in January 2025, where Islam Makhachev defended the lightweight title against Renato Moicano after Tsarukyan withdrew because of a back injury, according to the Orange County Register.
The UFC’s history in Los Angeles dates back to UFC 60 in May 2006, when welterweight champion Matt Hughes defeated Royce Gracie by TKO in a 175-pound catchweight bout. As anticipation builds for UFC 331, fans are now awaiting the announcement of the remaining fights expected to headline the September pay-per-view.
