Joshua Van Defends UFC Flyweight Title with Unanimous Decision Over Alexandre Pantoja

Joshua Van retained the UFC flyweight championship on Saturday night, winning a unanimous decision against Alexandre Pantoja in the main event of UFC 331. The bout featured an early takedown by Pantoja, followed by a series of striking exchanges as Van worked his way to the feet. A head clash in the second round caused a cut on Pantoja, but the referee did not intervene.

Pantoja continued to apply pressure with another takedown attempt, while Van responded with his own forward pressure, leading to multiple highlight-reel exchanges. The fight remained close through the fourth round, with judges’ scorecards reflecting the competitive nature of the contest. In the fifth round, Van delivered a knockdown and came close to finishing the fight, but Pantoja survived to the final bell.

The victory solidifies Van’s status as champion after he originally claimed the belt when Pantoja suffered an arm injury early in their first encounter. Van, 24, previously defended the title with a fifth-round TKO of Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328 in May. He indicated a desire to remain active, stating, "I always want to stay active. If I'm gonna be training all the time, why not fight all the time, right? That's kind of my mindset."

Potential future challengers include Manel Kape, who is on a four-fight knockout streak but has not yet been booked to face Van.