Joshua Van is confident that he will beat Alexandre Pantoja in the main event of UFC 331 , scheduled for next Saturday (19). Set for a rematch, the Myanmar fighter won the flyweight belt (up to 56,7 kg) after the Brazilian suffered an elbow injury during UFC 323. Now, the prospect promises to repeat the outcome in the rematch.
In an interview with 'Full Send MMA', Joshua Van revealed that his team has identified a weakness in Pantoja's game and intends to exploit it during the rematch. The fighter, however, preferred not to detail the strategy and stated that he hopes to finish the fight within three rounds.
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“We studied him and saw a small opening in his game that we’re going to exploit. There are some things I can’t talk about, but it will be done over 3 rounds,” said Joshua Van.
Watch the moment Alexandre Pantoja was injured at UFC 323.
Ending one of the greatest runs in UFC history like this sucks.
Feel horrible for Alexandre Pantoja . #UFC323
— Zach “” Schumaker (@ZachSchumaker) December 7, 2025
Joshua Van is the current UFC flyweight champion.
Joshua Van celebrates his victory against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram.
Although fans and experts have questioned the merits of the title won by Joshua Van – who inherited the belt after Alexandre Pantoja 's injury – the Burmese fighter gave a convincing answer inside the octagon.
In his title defense against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328 , Van faced difficulties against the Japanese fighter's strong grappling game. Even so, he showed resilience and relied on his sharp boxing to turn the tide of the fight.
In the fifth round, the champion found the right moment and knocked out his opponent, consolidating his position in the division and silencing some of the critics.
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