TLDR
- Joshua Van won the flyweight title from Alexandre Pantoja in December 2025 when the fight ended after 26 seconds due to Pantoja’s arm injury
- Van successfully defended the belt with a fifth-round TKO of Tatsuro Taira in May 2026
- Pantoja enters the rematch at 36 years old with a 4-0 record in career rematches and experience from multiple title defenses
- Van lands 8.4 strikes per minute compared to Pantoja’s 4.4, giving him a clear volume advantage
- Early betting odds have Van as a slight favorite at -135 to Pantoja’s +114
Joshua Van will defend his UFC flyweight championship against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 this Saturday in a rematch that many believe will finally answer questions left unanswered by their first meeting. The initial fight in December 2025 lasted just 26 seconds before Pantoja suffered an arm injury that forced the referee to stop the contest.
Van, who is 24 years old, captured the title in that controversial finish and has since defended it once. In May 2026, he defeated Tatsuro Taira by fifth-round TKO at UFC 328, pushing his winning streak to seven fights and his overall record to 17-2.
Pantoja sat out following the injury to heal and prepare for th...