Myanmar's Joshua Van Knocked Down Alexandre Pantoja in the Final Round and Retained the UFC Flyweight Title
The 24 year old won a unanimous decision in Los Angeles to settle a rematch after their first fight ended 26 seconds in with a Pantoja elbow injury.
Joshua Van retained the UFC flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on 19 September 2026. The judges scored the fight 49-46, 49-47 and 50-45.
Van, 24, was born in Myanmar and is based in Houston. The win improved his record to 18-2 and was his second defence of the title, after he beat Tatsuro Taira in May.
The rematch was needed because their first meeting at UFC 323 ended just 26 seconds in, when Pantoja suffered an accidental elbow dislocation. "A lot of people said that was an accidental win, well, doubt me now," Van said after the fight.
Van controlled the striking with his jab in the second round and flowing combinations in the third. Pantoja, 36, the Brazilian former champion, won the fourth round with takedowns, but Van knocked him down with an overhand right in the fifth to secure the decision.
In the co-main event, Arman Tsarukyan knocked out Mauricio Ruffy with elbows in the first round for his sixth straight win and said he needed the finish to earn a lightweight title fight.