Former UFC featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega is set to begin a new chapter in his career when he faces Renato Moicano in a lightweight rematch at UFC 331. The bout, officially announced by the promotion, marks Ortega’s long-awaited move to the 155-pound division after years of competing at featherweight. The two fighters previously met in 2017, when Ortega secured a submission victory in a thrilling contest that earned Fight of the Night honours. Their rematch was initially scheduled for UFC 326 earlier this year, but Ortega was forced to withdraw because of injury. Now healthy, “T-City” gets another opportunity to revive his career.
UFC 331 Date, Time and Venue
UFC 331 is scheduled for September 19, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The main card is expected to begin at 9:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. PT), with preliminary bouts taking place earlier in the evening. The event is part of the UFC’s return to Los Angeles and will feature several high-profile matchups across multiple weight classes.
For Ortega, the contest represents his first official appearance at lightweight after repeated weight-cut issues at 145 pounds. He enters the fight looking to halt a two-fight losing streak following defeats to Aljamain Sterling and Diego Lopes.
Moicano, meanwhile, heads into the rematch with renewed confidence after submitting Chris Duncan at UFC Fight Night 272. The Brazilian veteran had previously suffered losses to Beneil Dariush and former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev but has since returned to winning ways.
UFC 331 Full Fight Card
- Renato Moicano vs Brian Ortega (Lightweight)
- Sean Sharaf vs Gable Steveson
- Robelis Despaigne vs Tai Tuivasa
- Charles Jourdain vs Marlon Vera
- Ryan Gandra vs Ozzy Diaz
- Dooho Choi vs Patricio Freire
- Eduarda Moura vs Casey O’Neill
- Brunno Ferreira vs Edmen Shahbazyan
More fights are expected to be announced in the coming weeks as the UFC continues to shape one of its biggest cards of 2026.
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