UFC adds three fights to UFC 331 in Los Angeles, featuring Gable Steveson’s return

The UFC has expanded the fight card for UFC 331 in Los Angeles on Sept. 19, adding three new bouts, headlined by heavyweight Gable Steveson’s sophomore appearance inside the Octagon. UFC officials also announced the promotional return of heavyweight Robelis Despaigne, a move that reshapes the division’s near-term picture for the event.

Steveson’s placement on the card marks his continued attempt to establish himself as an up-and-coming force in the heavyweight class. With the UFC positioning him for a second appearance at UFC 331, the event becomes an early measuring stick for whether his momentum carries forward beyond a first run that brought him to the mainstream spotlight.

Despaigne’s addition, described as his “promotional return,” indicates that the UFC is bringing him back into its plans for a marquee numbered show in Los Angeles. In a division where matchups can define the next wave of contenders, adding a known heavyweight to the card increases the urgency and variety of the heavyweight bracket the UFC can build around future events.

Beyond Steveson and Despaigne, the UFC announcement includes one additional fight added to the card, bringing the total number of newly scheduled matchups to three. The UFC has not, in the information available here, provided further details on the third bout’s matchup, so fans will need to look for a subsequent confirmation to see exactly which fighters will round out the addition.

The event matters in the heavyweight ecosystem because UFC numbered cards often function as a funnel for future title contention. When a promotion adds a heavyweight with growing visibility like Steveson and pairs that with a return fight like Despaigne’s, it suggests the UFC is balancing development and testing at the same time.

What to watch next is whether the UFC later fills out additional details of the added bouts, including opponent matchups and any further context that can clarify how the winners might move toward higher-profile fights. With UFC 331 now bigger, the card’s shape becomes clearer as the promotion continues to finalize its matchups close to Sept. 19.