The UFC organization has confirmed the addition of three new clashes to its next numbered event, scheduled for Los Angeles on September 19th. The schedule includes Gable Steveson’s second fight in the octagon and Robelis Despaigne’s return to the circuit.
Gable Steveson will face Sean Sharaf. Robelis Despaigne will step into the octagon to face the experienced Tai Tuivasa. The card will also feature a middleweight clash between Ryan Gandra and Ozzy Diaz, as revealed.
The crypto.com Arena will host UFC 331, broadcast live on Paramount+. However, the organization has not yet announced what the main fight of the night will be.
Steveson (4-0), known for his career in wrestling, demonstrated great superiority in his UFC debut. In July, he beat Elisha Ellison by knockout in the first round, on the preliminary card of the rematch between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway. All of his MMA fights were finished in less than four minutes.
On the other hand, Sean Sharaf (4-2) seeks to reverse a negative record in the organization. He has two knockout defeats since his arrival in the UFC, against Junior Tafa and Steven Asplund.
Robelis Despaigne (6-2) will make his return to the Octagon after a stunning knockout against Junior dos Santos in May at MVP’s inaugural MMA event. This will be his first fight since leaving the UFC in 2024, after having achieved six submissions in seven Karate Combat fights between 2024 and 2025.
Also in the heavyweight division, Tai Tuivasa (14-10) is facing a challenging time, with seven consecutive losses in the UFC. He was beaten by decision in three fights — against Louie Sutherland, Tallison Teixeira and Jairzinho Rozenstruik — and knocked out on four other occasions. Before this negative streak, Tuivasa had a successful period between 2020 and 2022, submitting five opponents, including Derrick Lewis and Greg Hardy.
Ryan Gandra (10-1) returns to action after an impressive start to his UFC career. He scored two knockout victories over Jose Medina and Zach Reese. Meanwhile, Ozzy Diaz (10-4) will look to bounce back after his loss to Ateba Gautier.
