UFC 331 opening odds highlight massive favorites

The early odds are out for the
Ultimate Fighting Championship’s next event in Los Angeles, set
for Sept. 19 at Crypto.com Arena.

Joshua
Van (17-2) will put his flyweight title on the line in a
rematch against Alexandre
Pantoja (30-6) in the main event of UFC
331. Pantoja defended the title four times before losing it to
Van last December. The odds have their upcoming rematch as nearly a
pick’em.

UFC 331 opening odds for Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja,
Arman Tsarukyan and Gable Steveson

Pantoja injured his arm while attempting to brace his fall after
Van caught a kick and dumped him, prompting the referee to step in
less than 30 seconds into the fight. Van has since defended his
title with a final-round stoppage win over Tatsuro
Taira. He is on a seven-fight winning streak since his lone UFC
loss in 2024. The oddsmakers have it as a coin-flip matchup, with
Van opening at -115 and Pantoja at -105, according to Bet Online.

Meanwhile, Arman
Tsarukyan will take on Mauricio
Ruffy in the co-main event. With Tsarukyan widely considered
the most deserving title contender at lightweight, the opening odds
reflect his standing in the division. He is a -400 favorite against
the +315 underdog Ruffy, who will face his toughest test to
date.

Tai
Tuivasa will take on Olympic taekwondo bronze medalist Robelis
Despaigne in a heavyweight bout at UFC 331. Currently on a
seven-fight losing streak, Tuivasa is a +365 underdog against the
-475 favorite Despaigne, who returns for his second UFC stint.

Meanwhile, Olympic wrestling gold medalist Gable
Steveson makes a quick turnaround against Sean Sharaf
after a successful UFC debut last month. Steveson is the biggest
favorite on the card at -1800. Sharaf, who has lost both of his UFC
fights, is a +1000 underdog.