(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) | Getty Images Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight sluggers Patricio Pitbull vs. Doo Ho Choi will go to war this weekend (Sat., Sept. 19, 2026) inside Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California for UFC 331. Pitbull didn’t join the UFC roster until late in his career, already past his best and off a couple difficult losses. Even so, the Brazilian dove into the deep end of Featherweight competition, managing to win one of his three UFC bouts so far. At 39 years of age, it’s unclear just how much Pitbull has left in the tank. Meanwhile, Choi is on the rise. The South Korean spent four years on the sidelines due to injuries and mandatory military service, but he returned better than ever. Not only has Choi won three straight fights, he’s finished each of those wins via knockout. Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete: Pitbull vs. Choi Betting Odds Patricio Pitbull victory: +200 Patricio Pitbull via TKO/KO/DQ: TBD Patricio Pitbull via submission: TBD Patricio Pitbull via decision: TBD Doo Ho Choi victory: -265 Doo Ho Choi via TKO/KO/DQ: TBD Doo Ho Choi via submission: TBD Doo Ho Choi via decision: TBD Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook How Pitbull Wins Pitbull is a well-rounded and composed veteran. He has skills everywhere, though his game has grown more narrow with age. Pitbull is an accurate and powerful counter puncher, and he’s also a world-class grappler when fights hit the floor. Recently, Pitbull has struggled more to keep up with high-volume, rangy opponents. Since the wrestling is likely to cancel out, this matchup reads like a test of Pitbull’s counter punching prowess at this stage of his career. Choi may be longer, but he’s not the type to hang back and kick. He likes to push the pace and engage, which should play into Pitbull’s counters well. Compared to a long-distance kicker like Yair Rodriguez, Choi should be much easier to hit. The question is can Pitbull pull the trigger? He can’t get hesitant against Choi, who is quick to build his combinations and get aggressive. Pitbull will still be facing a height and reach disadvantage, but he can’t allow himself to get behind on the punch count and lose another decision. How Choi Wins “The Korean Superboy” has come a long way. It’s hard to believe he joined the UFC roster 11 years ago, because Choi is still improving. His boxing has tightened up significantly, and Choi has also been quicker to incoporate takedowns into his offense. Choi should be watching that Pitbull vs. Aaron Pico fight on repeat ahead of this clash. Back at UFC 327, Pico actively engaged with Pitbull in an MMA boxing match and really put a beating on the veteran. He jabbed and feinted his way into powerful connections, making great use of his range advantage without avoiding exchanges entirely. Choi — who possesses excellent timing and great natural power — should be looking to do the same. Pitbull is still heinously difficult to take and hold down, but we’re seeing him struggle on the feet more consistently. If Choi is active with the jab, he should be feint his way into heavier shots and dull the timing of Pitbull’s counter punching. If Choi can just start building momentum, he’s likely to gain speed violently. Pitbull vs. Choi Prediction This isn’t a bad matchup for Pitbull, but it’s also not one I trust him to win. The Brazilian great is looking limited nowadays. If he doesn’t get the exact type of low-volume kickboxing match that he excels in, he struggles. For all his jiu-jitsu prowess, he hasn’t been dominating fights on the canvas either. Pitbull has always been a fighter who makes up for his lack of size with remarkable timing and explosion, but those are the traits that tend to diminish first with age. Pitbull’s sole UFC win came over Dan Ige, who was the rare Featherweight (now Bantamweight) that could not exceed Pitbull’s height and reach. Choi has those physical advantages, as well as the hand speed to frustrate his foe. Prediction: Choi via decision To checkout the latest UFC 331 fight card and rumors click here.