Arman Tsarukyan and Charles Oliveira will run it back at UFC 331 in Los Angeles on September 20. Tsarukyan won their first meeting in 2024 by split decision. The rematch figures to be another pivotal lightweight contest between two of the division's elite.
Arman Tsarukyan and Charles Oliveira are set to meet for a second time at UFC 331 in Los Angeles, with the event scheduled for September 20. The rematch revisits one of the lightweight division's most compelling recent bouts, with Tsarukyan having taken the first encounter by split decision in 2024.
Tsarukyan enters the rematch as the No. 1-ranked lightweight in the world. The 29-year-old Russian trains out of American Top Team and carries a record of 23-3-0. Standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, he fights out of an orthodox stance and is one of the division's most active grapplers, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes. His striking volume is equally impressive at 3.85 significant strikes landed per minute.
Oliveira, known as "Do Bronx," is 36 years old and comes in ranked third at lightweight and 11th in the pound-for-pound standings. The Brazilian, who trains with Chute Boxe Diego Lima, holds a 37-11-0 record. He stands five-foot-ten with a 74-inch reach and is regarded as one of the most dangerous submission artists in MMA history, averaging 2.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes. He also contributes offensively on the feet, landing 3.35 significant strikes per minute at a 54 percent accuracy rate.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan holds the No. 1 lightweight ranking, making this bout a likely title eliminator or title shot validation.
- Oliveira's path back to contention runs directly through Tsarukyan, whom he has already faced once.
- The stylistic matchup pits Tsarukyan's wrestling-heavy pressure against Oliveira's elite submission game and well-rounded striking, setting up a high-stakes chess match on the feet and on the mat.
Saturday, September 19, 2026
