Marlon Vera finally ended his four-fight losing streak with a dominant third-round TKO over Charles Jourdain at UFC 331 in Los Angeles. The bout took place at Crypto.com Arena, where Vera was looking to rebuild his career after a difficult stretch since 2023. Jourdain entered with three consecutive wins and aimed to make a statement against the experienced Ecuadorian.
The opening round saw Jourdain using kicks and volume to keep Vera off balance, according to lowkickmma.com. Vera, however, consistently landed heavier shots and found success with counters and clinch work. In the second round, Vera took control by timing Jourdain’s movements and landing increasingly damaging combinations. A right hand and uppercut combination sent Jourdain to the canvas for the first time. Although he recovered, Vera dropped him again with a jump knee before following up with another damaging sequence.
Jourdain entered the third round still moving well but was quickly overwhelmed by Vera’s pressure. A left hand sent Jourdain crashing down for the third time in the fight. Referee Mike Beltran stepped in at 2:02 of Round 3 to stop the contest. Jourdain appeared to wave off the fight as the stoppage occurred.
The win moved Vera to 16-11 in the UFC, ending his four-fight skid and marking his first victory in over three years. His record includes wins over Pedro Munhoz, Sean O’Malley, and Dominick Cruz. Meanwhile, Jourdain dropped to 9-8-1 in the UFC after entering the fight on a three-fight winning streak.
Before the event, Vera told reporters that he felt healthy and ready for the match, according to a report from el-balad.com. He said his body was in good shape and that he had made changes to his training approach. Vera mentioned changing camps, bringing back old coaches, and working with the Rosas before this fight.
He also said he had never been given a warm-up fight in his career, and that this match was not one. Vera added that he was excited to show how the changes he made could help him turn things around.
The main card of UFC 331 also featured a rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight title, The Sun reported. Pantoja had suffered an elbow injury just 26 seconds into their first encounter last December. Van won the UFC 331 rematch by unanimous decision to retain the flyweight title.
Another major event on the card saw Arman Tsarukyan face Mauricio Ruffy in a lightweight bout. Tsarukyan knocked out Ruffy in the first round.
The main card also included Gable Steveson’s return to the Octagon after his brief WWE career. Steveson was knocked out in just 12 seconds by Sean Sharaf in a early finish.
Alonzo Menifield won his opening bout against Iwo Baraniewski by split decision after a hard-fought three-round battle. Menifield broke his thumb early in the fight but competed.
The preliminary fights also included a number of intense exchanges and close calls. In the final preliminary bout, Vera’s victory over Jourdain stood out as impressive.
Vera’s win was especially notable for how he capitalized on opportunities and maintained pressure. Jourdain had shown promise early in the fight but could not sustain his efforts.
The event was held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Saturday night. It featured a full lineup of fights including a title match and high-profile matchups. The card was broadcast on TNT Sports 1 in the UK and Paramount+ in the US.
Overall, UFC 331 delivered several key victories and surprising moments for fans.
IMAGE: UFC fighter Marlon “Chito” Vera during Los Angeles Fleet Week aboard the USS Essex. Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Russell R. Rhodes Jr. / U.S. Navy / Wikimedia, taken 2026-05-21, Public Domain.