LOS ANGELES — Joshua Van defends the UFC flyweight championship against Alexandre Pantoja in the main event of UFC 331. The event takes place on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Joshua Van said: "He's a very, very dangerous guy. He's going to be motivated, he's going to be hungrier, and I think this will be the best Pantoja we'll see." Van said: "This time, you guys will see a different level of Joshua Van. When I beat him, I will be one of the greats in this division." Alexandre Pantoja said: "I think it's a new era for the flyweight division. I think everyone is starting to respect the division."

Pantoja had successfully defended the UFC flyweight championship four times before losing to Van. He was on an eight-fight winning streak prior to the December 2025 loss. At UFC 323, Pantoja was a nearly 3-to-1 betting favorite against Van.

Van holds a professional record of 17-2. He is 24 years old and fights out of Houston. Born in Myanmar, Van moved to the United States at age 12.

He is the only fighter from Myanmar to sign with the UFC. Van is also the second-youngest champion in UFC history and the first born in the 2000s.

Pantoja holds a professional record of 30-6. The 36-year-old has recorded eight knockout victories and 12 submission wins in his career. He has 14 victories in UFC flyweight competition, the most in divisional history.

Pantoja won the title from Brandon Moreno by split decision at UFC 290 in July 2023. During his reign, he defeated fighters including Kai Kara-France and Kai Asakura.

Tensions have risen between the two fighters since their first encounter. Pantoja wagged his finger at Van while lying on the canvas after the fight ended. Van checked on Pantoja after the bout.

Pantoja later accused Van of trying to throw punches at him while he lay injured. UFC president Dana White held back Pantoja during a press conference ahead of UFC 331.

"I thought he was being respectful at first, but then the media and some fans were saying, 'Oh, Josh didn't really win this fight,' and then he took that to the next level," he said. "Now, he's just been talking crazy. I had told him we were going to have a rematch, but this guy is trying to make me the bad guy here." "I had all these game plans of how I was going to beat him that first night and I visualized it, but then that crazy thing happened so people didn't get to see it," he said.

"He didn't beat me. I know, like an athlete, I lost the fight and I know I lost my belt. I'm not the champion anymore. But it's not as if someone beat me," Pantoja said.

"I [went back] to the gym because I knew if I take too much time off, it's going to be very tough to get back to my shape and this level," he said. "Since my injury, I haven't stopped. I was back to training with one arm in the gym and doing physical therapy. I think my right hand is very powerful now." A report stated that Pantoja returned to training just two days after his injury.

Van acknowledged Pantoja's status but criticized his recent behavior. "This guy had nothing but my respect. He was a great champion. In my eyes, he was the greatest of all-time in the flyweight division, but for him to talk like that is crazy," he said.

Van noted that he is enjoying his current position. "Now, I'm having fun," he said.

Former champion Brandon Moreno offered his perspective on the rematch. "I love the fight. I think it's going to be a super good fight. Pantoja was a champion for a reason, but I don't know, I have this feeling where I think Joshua is going to win," Moreno said.

He acknowledged Pantoja's resilience but leaned toward Van. Moreno commented on Van's demeanor. "Maybe, but I understand. He's young and he's enjoying life, you know? He's been doing a lot of good things in a short period of time, so I understand," Moreno said.

"He's fun to watch and everything. He's cool." Van has won 15 of his last 16 fights, including seven consecutive victories. He defeated Tatsuro Taira by technical knockout in the fifth round at UFC 328 in May 2026, earning a $100,000 Fight of the Night bonus.

Van's personal journey includes family milestones. His father passed away in 2017 when Van was 16. Van has spoken about how becoming a UFC champion helped mend their relationship.

In June 2026, Van bought his mother a house after a victory. Van lands 8.43 significant strikes per minute in UFC competition and connects on 57.4 percent of his significant strike attempts.

The UFC 331 card features several other bouts. The co-main event features Arman Tsarukyan against Mauricio Ruffy at lightweight. Tsarukyan has a five-fight UFC winning streak and is 10-1 in his past 11 appearances.

He was scheduled to face Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 311 but withdrew on weigh-in day. Tsarukyan defeated Dan Hooker via submission in November 2025.

Ruffy has earned 13 of his 14 career victories by stoppage, finishing nine in Round 1. He defeated Michael Chandler by TKO in June 2026. Ruffy earned one of 16 knockouts in UFC history stemming from a spinning wheel kick at UFC 313.

Other preliminary card fights include Marlon Vera against Charles Jourdain and Tai Tuivasa against Robelis Despaigne. Tuivasa knocked out Derrick Lewis in 2022.

Van is listed as a betting favorite against Pantoja at UFC 331. The main card streams exclusively on Paramount+. Van's custom fight shorts incorporate the colors of Myanmar's flag, patterns inspired by traditional fabrics, and the Myanmar hornbill.

They also include the Bible verses Romans 8:31 and Joshua 1:9. Tsarukyan's custom shorts feature a black-and-gray color scheme with graphics of Mount Ararat and the Russian bear.

Why It Matters

This rematch addresses the controversial nature of the first fight, which ended in 26 seconds due to injury. Pantoja is the only fighter in UFC history to lose a championship belt via injury stoppage. The outcome will determine whether Van can establish himself as a dominant champion or if Pantoja can reclaim the title he held for three years. The fight also shows the growing prominence of the flyweight division, with Pantoja noting a new era of respect for the weight class.

The event coincides with a new broadcast deal with Paramount, bringing a new generation of fans to the sport. He noted that this new audience is highly interactive and supportive of Van. The result will impact the legacy of both fighters, with Van aiming to become one of the greats in the division and Pantoja seeking to validate his eight-fight winning streak and victories over top contenders.

Timeline

Joshua Van's father passed away in 2017. Alexandre Pantoja won the UFC flyweight championship from Brandon Moreno by split decision at UFC 290 in July 2023. Joshua Van won the UFC flyweight championship from Alexandre Pantoja via technical knockout 26 seconds into their fight at UFC 323 in December 2025. Alexandre Pantoja was a nearly 3-to-1 betting favorite against Joshua Van at UFC 323. Alexandre Pantoja suffered a dislocated elbow and arm injury after landing awkwardly while attempting to brace his fall during his first fight with Joshua Van. Joshua Van checked on Alexandre Pantoja after their first fight ended. Alexandre Pantoja wagged his finger at Joshua Van while lying on the canvas after their first fight. Alexandre Pantoja returned to training two days after his injury against Joshua Van.

What's New

Pantoja said, "I sacrificed a lot about my life and I think I'm one of the best fighters in the world. I have this opportunity right now against Joshua Van and you have a lot of new fans coming in with this deal with Paramount. It's so good for everybody. This new generation of fans is so interactive on the internet, everybody supports Joshua Van so well. Everything has changed since my last fight. I have a champion to fight, I don't have a challenger. Joshua Van is the champion and I have nothing to lose in this fight. I have had this position before. I'm not going to be afraid of excuses, I go to conquer." He said, "I [went back] to the gym because I knew if I take too much time off, it's going to be very tough to get back to my shape and this level. Since my injury, I haven't stopped. I was back to training with one arm in the gym and doing physical therapy. I think my right hand is very powerful now." Alexandre Pantoja has successfully defended the UFC flyweight championship four times before losing to Joshua Van in December 2025.

The official record of the event states that the event took place on September 19, 2026, and was headlined by the flyweight championship rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja, as reported by the UFC. Pantoja said, "I [lost] for myself [due to the injury]. I have 20 years of professional fighting, I never made a drill to push someone to break their arm like that. He didn't beat me. I'm not the champion anymore. But it's not as if someone beat me. Alexandre Pantoja returned to training just two days after his injury against Joshua Van, according to a report. Pantoja said, People maybe don't give me the recognition. I fought the best fighters in my division. I beat some guys three times. I had eight [wins] in a row with the best fighters. I beat Manel Kape, Brandon Royval, Brandon Moreno, Kai Kara-France. The [UFC] brought Kai Asakura from another promotion and I beat him this guy, too." He said, "This guy had nothing but my respect. He was a great champion. In my eyes, he was the greatest of all-time in the flyweight division, but for him to talk like that is crazy."

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on the narrative surrounding Alexandre Pantoja. Pantoja stated, I sacrificed a lot about my life and I think I'm one of the best fighters in the world. Sources also differ on the flyweight championship context. Joshua Van and the UFC note that Alexandre Pantoja has successfully defended the UFC flyweight championship four times before losing to Joshua Van in December 2025, while the UFC 323 official result states that Joshua Van won the UFC flyweight championship from Alexandre Pantoja via technical knockout 26 seconds into their fight at UFC 323 in December 2025. Sources differ on Alexandre Pantoja's record and recognition. I beat some guys three times. I beat Manel Kape, Brandon Royval, Brandon Mor" while Joshua Van and the UFC state that Alexandre Pantoja has a record of 30-6-0 in professional MMA, including eight knockout victories and 12 submission wins. Sources differ on the flyweight championship status. The UFC 331 fight card states that Joshua Van defends the UFC flyweight championship against Alexandre Pantoja in the main event of UFC 331, while the UFC 323 official result states that Joshua Van won the UFC flyweight championship from Alexandre Pantoja via technical knockout 26 seconds into their fight at UFC 323 in December 2025. Sources differ on the flyweight championship history. The UFC 323 official result states that Joshua Van won the UFC flyweight championship from Alexandre Pantoja via technical knockout 26 seconds into their fight at UFC 323 in December 2025, while UFC title history states that Alexandre Pantoja successfully defended the UFC flyweight championship four times before losing to Joshua Van. Sources differ on the details of Alexandre Pantoja's loss. The UFC 323 official result states that Joshua Van won the UFC flyweight championship from Alexandre Pantoja via technical knockout 26 seconds into their fight at UFC 323 in December 2025, while the UFC 323 fight report states that Alexandre Pantoja suffered a dislocated elbow and arm injury after landing awkwardly while attempting to brace his fall during his first fight with Joshua Van. Sources differ on Alexandre Pantoja's accusations. The UFC 323 official result states that Joshua Van won the UFC flyweight championship from Alexandre Pantoja via technical knockout 26 seconds into their fight at UFC 323 in December 2025, while an Alexandre Pantoja interview states that Alexandre Pantoja accused Joshua Van of trying to throw punches at him while he lay injured on the mat after their first fight. Sources differ on Alexandre Pantoja's post-fight interaction. The UFC 323 official result states that Joshua Van won the UFC flyweight championship from Alexandre Pantoja via technical knockout 26 seconds into their fight at UFC 323 in December 2025, while UFC 323 fight footage states that Joshua Van checked on Alexandre Pantoja after their first fight ended."