Van Defends Flyweight Title With Decision Win Over Pantoja at UFC 331

Joshua Van successfully defended his UFC flyweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Alexandre Pantoja in the main event of UFC 331 on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The judges scored the bout 49-46, 49-47, and 50-45 in favor of Van, who improved his professional record to 18-2. The fight was a competitive rematch following their first encounter at UFC 323 in December 2025, which ended abruptly when Pantoja suffered an arm injury. This time, the two fighters engaged in a full five-round battle. Pantoja, the former champion, found early success with his grappling, securing takedowns and controlling Van on the mat in the opening round. However, Van weathered the early storm and began to find his rhythm with his striking in the second round. A clash of heads in the second round opened a cut on Pantoja's face. While the Brazilian continued to press forward with takedowns, Van's takedown defense and sharper work on the feet allowed him to gain momentum. The fight remained closely contested heading into the final round. Van delivered his strongest performance in the fifth and final round.