Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja Settle the Score in UFC 331 Main Event

September 19, 2026 - 08:48

Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja stepped into the cage for the second time, and the rematch delivered everything fight fans hoped for. The two flyweights headlined UFC 331, and the bout carried serious stakes for the division. Their first meeting ended in a close decision that left plenty of questions unanswered, so the sequel felt inevitable from the moment the final bell rang the first time.

Van entered the fight with momentum on his side. His speed and footwork have troubled opponents throughout his run in the promotion, and he leaned on those tools early. Pantoja, a seasoned grappler with a deep gas tank, refused to back down. He pressed forward, looked for takedowns, and tested Van's defense against the fence. The exchanges grew sharper as the rounds wore on, with both men trading clean strikes and scrambling for position on the mat.

The judges' scorecards told the story of a razor thin contest. Neither fighter gave ground, and the crowd responded to every shift in momentum. Pantoja's ground control earned him points in key moments, while Van's striking volume kept him in the fight until the final horn.

The result shakes up the flyweight rankings and sets up new possibilities for the winner. For Van, the performance proved he belongs among the elite. For Pantoja, it was another reminder that experience matters when the lights are brightest. A third fight between them no longer feels like a question of if, but when.