Joshua Van outworks Alexandre Pantoja in fight of the year contender at UFC 331

Sports admin September 20, 2026 0 Comments

Joshua Van outworks Alexandre Pantoja in fight of the year contender at UFC 331

Flyweight champion Joshua Van. Former flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja. A true rivalry for all the marbles. That is the fight that headlined UFC 331 on Saturday.

Live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, the grudge match was finally settled. Looking to right the wrongs, Pantoja was determined to bring an end to Van’s reign as the champion at 125 pounds. Expecting to add to his eight-fight win streak, the titleholder entered the octagon with an air of confidence.

Alexandre Pantoja added tension to the fight by refusing the glove touch. And it didn’t take long for the Brazilian to implement his game plan. Rushing in with wild strikes, Pantoja managed to grab a hold of Joshua Van and drag him to the canvas. Slowly working his way to a better position on the ground, Pantoja secured full mount. Staying patient initially helped him keep the dominant position on the mat. A sudden burst from the challenger gave Van a window of opportunity, and he took it. A brief exchange on the floor then led to the champion finding his way to his feet. A chaotic couple of minutes on the feet saw both men land big. A very close opening round came to a close with the pair showing the deep arsenal of weapons they have.

The second round started much like the first. Pantoja applied instant pressure and threw big shots, catching Van several times. Less than half a minute into the round, Pantoja was caught by an accidental headbutt, opening up a cut over his eye. After a short stoppage, the fight resumed. Going back to his grappling, Pantoja pushed Van up against the cage and held him there for a few moments. On separation, the two went straight back to brawling. A lot of volume on display from both sides. A beautiful showcase of mixed martial arts. Van looked to be taking over with his sound technique, but the round ended with Pantoja executing a perfectly timed takedown and getting to Van’s back.

Round three began, and they went right back to it. Any lesser man is watching Joshua Van get his hand raised via a knockout win, but Alexandre Pantoja’s conditioning and chin have been impenetrable thus far. An all-out war. Both men land big; Pantoja mixes in the wrestling, but Van is level to it, showing a vast improvement from fight to fight. A high-paced fight sees a moment of calm when Pantoja lands a takedown against the fence. Not much action occurred until Van forced himself to his feet; then war resumed. Van landed a barrage of big shots, but Pantoja welcomed it, telling the champion to keep coming forward despite eating combinations as the round trickled to an end.

Not as forward-pressing to start the fourth, Pantoja managed to land a sneaky head kick, but Van wasn’t fazed. Shortly after, the challenger secured a takedown. Complete control on the ground from Pantoja but not much damage. In an incredibly close fight, round four is going to be the easiest for the judges to score. 10-9 Pantoja.

Unsure about who’s ahead on the scorecards, the pair begin the fifth and final round by trading on the feet. An unusual tactic by Pantoja, who seems comfortable avoiding the exchanges with Van, likely believing he’s winning. Van looks crisp, landing big and dropping his opponent. A submission attempt for the champion comes to nothing. Pantoja rises to his feet, battered and bruised. Just as easy as round four was to score, Van dominated the fifth. Van 10-9. It all comes down to the scorecards.

Official Result: Joshua Van def. Alexandre Pantoja via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-47, 50-45)

AND STILLLLLL

Joshua Van remains the flyweight champion!!

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