It’s UFC 331 fight week, and the card is stacked from top to bottom. The main event sees Joshua Van defend his flyweight title against Alexandre Pantoja in a long-awaited rematch following their bizarre first meeting at UFC 323. The co-main event features the return of Arman Tsarukyan, who takes on the dangerous Mauricio Ruffy.
Tsarukyan hasn’t fought inside the Octagon since submitting Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar in November 2025, and he will be looking to put himself back in the mix for the 155-pound gold. With the September 19 card in Los Angeles packed with other bangers, including Patricio Pitbull vs. Doo Ho Choi, Gable Steveson vs. Sean Sharaf, and Marlon Vera vs. Charles Jourdain, there’s plenty to look forward to.
UFC fans are used to doing their homework before a big fight, whether that means looking at recent form, previous opponents or stylistic matchups. The same principle applies elsewhere where bettors can use a list of online casino reviews to research the best casino games to play between fights. For now, though, it’s time to focus on the top of the card. Here’s a breakdown of the highly anticipated flyweight title rematch between Van and Pantoja.
Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2: Tale of the Tape
It has been nine months since Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja first met at UFC 323 in December 2025, and that fight ended in one of the strangest ways possible. Pantoja lost his long-held flyweight title just 26 seconds into the opening round after suffering a freak elbow injury following an awkward fall. Van was suddenly the champion, but there was an obvious question hanging over his reign: could he prove he truly belonged at the top?
Van answered that question at UFC 328. The 24-year-old, now the second-youngest champion in UFC history, put together an all-time performance against Tatsuro Taira, stopping the Japanese contender with a fifth-round TKO. It was exactly the kind of victory Van needed after winning the title under such unusual circumstances.
Before that injury, Pantoja was making a serious case for himself among the greatest flyweights in UFC history. “The Cannibal” had won four straight title defenses, including consecutive submission victories over Kai Asakura and Kai Kara-France, while extending his overall winning streak to eight. Now 36, Pantoja gets another shot at the belt and a chance to show that, had the injury never happened, the championship might never have left his hands.
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On paper, this is an interesting clash of experience and youth. Van enters the rematch at 24 with a 17-2 record, including nine knockouts, two submissions and six decision victories. Eleven of those 17 wins have come inside the distance. Pantoja, meanwhile, owns a 30-6 record with eight knockouts, 12 submissions and 10 decisions.
Those 12 submission wins make up 40% of his professional victories and highlight just how dangerous he can become once a fight hits the mat. Both fighters are 5-foot-5 and fight from an orthodox stance, but Pantoja has a two-inch reach advantage. The Brazilian has a 67-inch reach compared to Van’s 65 inches.
Joshua Van’s Striking Advantage
Van’s biggest weapon is his relentless pace. The 24-year-old champion is a high-volume striker who would rather stay busy than wait for one perfect counter. He lands an impressive 8.43 significant strikes per minute at 57% accuracy, while defending 58% of his opponents’ significant strikes.
His boxing is built around sharp combinations, a persistent jab, and constant forward pressure. More importantly, his footwork allows him to get in, land his combinations, and reset before opponents can settle into prolonged exchanges.
That volume could be a huge factor against Pantoja. Van is putting nearly 8.5 significant strikes on his opponents every minute, which makes it difficult for them to find comfortable moments to launch their own offense. Pantoja wants to make fights messy and force opponents into uncomfortable exchanges, but Van can potentially frustrate him by constantly changing range and keeping the action moving.
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Van has also shown that his striking output doesn’t disappear when fights go deep. His fifth-round TKO of Taira was the perfect example. He maintained his pace through 25 minutes while remaining composed during the grappling exchanges.
That composure is important here because Van has 75% takedown defense and a 61% takedown accuracy of his own. He isn’t afraid to grapple when necessary, but his priority is getting back to his feet rather than accepting extended periods on the ground.
Alexandre Pantoja’s Grappling and Submission Threat
Pantoja’s 12 submission victories are probably the biggest statistical warning sign for Van. Those finishes account for 40% of Pantoja’s career wins, and the Brazilian has a knack for turning seemingly harmless positions into dangerous submission opportunities.
He averages 2.79 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.0 submission attempt per 15 minutes, giving him multiple ways to drag Van into his world. Pantoja will likely look to pressure Van toward the fence, close the distance, secure a body lock or takedown, and then work toward the back or a submission.
That makes Van’s 75% takedown defense particularly important. If he can shut down Pantoja’s initial attempts and quickly scramble back to his feet, he can force the former champion to repeatedly reset. But Pantoja isn’t just a grappler.
He has eight knockout victories, which account for roughly 27% of his wins, and he lands 4.38 significant strikes per minute at 50% accuracy. Van therefore can’t become so focused on defending takedowns that he forgets about the Brazilian’s hands. The big question is whether Pantoja can maintain that pressure for five rounds at 36, particularly after spending a lengthy period on the sidelines.
Striking Volume vs. Grappling Efficiency
At its core, this matchup comes down to a simple question: Can Van force Pantoja to fight at his pace, or can Pantoja slow the champion down? Van wants long stretches in open space where he can unleash his 8.43 SLpM and force Pantoja to deal with constant movement and combinations.
His two-inch reach disadvantage makes that movement even more important. Rather than standing in front of Pantoja and trading, Van can use his speed to get in, land, and get out. Pantoja needs the exact opposite. He wants to close the distance, back Van toward the fence, and turn striking exchanges into grappling sequences. His 2.79 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.0 submission average per 15 minutes give him the tools to completely change the rhythm once he gets his hands on the champion.
Even if Pantoja, who lands 47% of his takedown attempts, can’t consistently keep Van on the mat, forcing the champion to defend repeated shots could slowly drain his gas tank. Every takedown attempt requires Van to wrestle, scramble, and reset instead of throwing at his preferred pace.
For Van, the game plan is pretty simple: keep the fight standing, make Pantoja chase him, and turn the matchup into a five-round striking marathon.
The Age and Durability Factor
The age gap is hard to ignore. Van is 24, while Pantoja is 36, giving the champion a 12-year advantage. At flyweight, where speed, reactions, and pace are so important, that difference could become increasingly noticeable as the fight progresses.
Van’s 17-2 record also shows how quickly he has developed. His two losses haven’t stopped him from becoming one of the division’s most exciting fighters, and his performance against Taira showed that he can handle adversity without abandoning his game plan.
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Pantoja has something Van can’t replicate: experience. His 30 professional wins include 12 submissions, eight knockouts, and 10 decisions, while he has spent years competing in five-round championship fights against elite flyweights. That experience could be especially valuable in the opening rounds. If Van gets too aggressive, Pantoja has the technical knowledge to punish those mistakes.
The Betting Picture
The betting line has also changed significantly since their first meeting. Pantoja was a clear favorite at UFC 323, with Van closing around +176 as the underdog. This time, BetOnline has the line flipped, with Van currently at -132 as the favorite and Pantoja at +113 as the underdog.
The market now views this as a genuine toss-up. Van’s development, his fifth-round stoppage of Taira, and his championship experience have clearly changed how oddsmakers view him. At the same time, Pantoja remains dangerous enough that his grappling and experience are keeping this matchup extremely close.
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The total is generally around 3.5 rounds, with the market showing some lean toward the fight not reaching the final bell. And honestly, that makes sense. Pantoja has 20 career wins by knockout or submission, while Van has 11 finishes in 17 victories. Neither man is short on ways to end the fight.
This rematch is one of the more compelling championship stories of 2026. It isn’t often that a title changes hands because of a freak injury, and it’s even rarer for the new champion to immediately legitimize his reign with a fantastic finish over a completely different stylistic threat.
Now Pantoja gets his chance to rewrite that story. If Van can keep the fight at range and maintain his absurd striking pace, his youth and conditioning should allow him to take over as the fight progresses. But if Pantoja can close the distance, force clinches, and consistently bring his submission game into play, the champion could find himself in trouble very quickly. That clash of styles is what makes UFC 331’s main event so difficult, and so fun to predict.
Final Prediction: Alexandre Pantoja Beats Joshua Van by Third-Round Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)