Joshua Van Retains Flyweight Title Over Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331
Champion Joshua Van defended his belt via decision in a rematch marred by a controversial 50-45 scorecard.
KEY POINTS
- Joshua Van defeated Alexandre Pantoja by decision to retain the UFC flyweight title at UFC 331 in Los Angeles.
- The rematch settled a rivalry stemming from a December 2025 bout ended by Pantoja's dislocated elbow 26 seconds in.
- One judge scored the fight 50-45 for Van, a margin widely criticized as not reflecting the competitive nature of the bout.
- Pantoja dominated the first round with grappling and mount control before Van adjusted his striking in later rounds.
- Van, 24, secured his second title defense; Pantoja, 36, saw his bid to become a three-time flyweight champion fall short.
Joshua Van retained the UFC flyweight championship with a decision victory over former titleholder Alexandre Pantoja in the UFC 331 main event at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The five-round rematch provided a definitive conclusion to a rivalry that began in December 2025, when Pantoja suffered a dislocated elbow just 26 seconds into their first encounter, resulting in a TKO win for Van.
Pantoja, 36, dominated the opening round with heavy grappling, securing an early takedown and advancing to mount where he controlled Van with elbows and pressure. The former champion nearly finished the frame in the same position after a late takedown. Van adjusted in the second round, finding his striking range and landing cleaner combinations while neutralizing Pantoja's wrestling entries.
“The Fearless got the better of Alexandre Pantoja over five rounds at UFC 331 on Saturday night, finally putting a proper full-stop on their rivalry.”
The championship rounds featured a competitive back-and-forth battle, but the result was overshadowed by one judge scoring the bout 50-45 for Van. The wide margin drew immediate criticism from fans and analysts who viewed the fight as significantly closer. Van, 24, improved to 18-2 with his second successful title defense, having previously stopped Tatsuro Taira in May.
Pantoja entered the rematch on a four-fight title defense streak that included wins over Brandon Moreno, Kai Kara-France, Kai Asakura, Steve Erceg, and Brandon Royval. The Brazilian had expressed frustration at being overlooked for an immediate rematch by UFC leadership following the injury stoppage. A victory would have made him only the third flyweight to regain the belt, joining Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo.
The co-main event featured a lightweight clash between Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy, with the winner positioned for a potential title opportunity. The event streamed exclusively on Paramount+ in the United States, with the main card starting at 9 p.m. ET.
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