Joshua Van faces Alexandre Pantoja in UFC 331 flyweight title rematch

4 sources3 min read • Latest: Aug 6, 2026, 12:16 AM

Last updated Aug 6, 2026

Joshua Van faces Alexandre Pantoja in UFC 331 flyweight title rematch
Summary

Joshua Van will defend his flyweight title against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 on September 19 in Los Angeles. This rematch follows Pantoja's injury in their first encounter last December, where a dislocation forced an early stoppage. Van, who claimed the championship during the injury hiatus, successfully defended his title in May against Tatsuro Taira. Pantoja, now recovered, is aiming to reclaim the title. The event will also feature Arman Tsarukyan versus Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main event among several other fights.

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Status Watch
  • UFC 331 is scheduled for September 19 at Crypto.com Arena.
  • Van is on a seven-fight winning streak after defeating Tatsuro Taira.
  • Pantoja returns after recovering from a dislocated arm injury.
  • Tsarukyan faces Ruffy in a lightweight contender matchup.
  • Full card includes notable fights like Moicano vs. Ortega and Vera vs. Jourdain.
Latest Updates
  • 12:45 AMESPNVan set for rematch against Pantoja at UFC 331
  • 11:18 PMYahoo SportsJoshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2, Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy set as full UFC 331 card revealed
  • 11:18 PMMMA FightingJoshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2, Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy set as full UFC 331 card revealed
  • 11:05 PMYahoo SportsUFC 331 gets Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja rematch
What they're saying
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 05: (L-R) Opponents Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil and Joshua Van of Myanmar face off during the UFC 323 ceremonial weigh-in at T-Mobile Arena on December 05, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) The main event for UFC 331 is finally set with Joshua Van defending his flyweight title in a rematch against former champion Alexandre Pantoja, who is now healthy and ready to compete again. In the co-main event, Arman Tsarukyan faces Mauricio Ruffy in a five-round fight between lightweights who are both jockeying for a title shot against current champion Justin Gaethje. The main event features Pantoja making his return to action after a freak injury ended his dominant title reign in his first fight against Van in 2025. Pantoja fell awkwardly during an exchange and his arm popped, which forced the fight to be stopped in the opening round. While he recovered, Van took over as UFC flyweight champion and made a successful defense of his title in a potential Fight of the Year candidate against Tatsuro Taira in May. Now Van looks to settle any debates about his championship reign when he faces Pantoja in a rematch now scheduled for September. In the co-main event, widely considered the top lightweight contender in the UFC, Tsarukyan returns after spending the better part of the past year making a name for himself in RAF where he’s been wrestling almost every month. Now he gets back to business in the UFC trying to build on his five-fight win streak, which includes wins over Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariush and Dan Hooker. As for Ruffy, he looks to carry the momentum from a standout performance at the UFC White House card where he demolished Michael Chandler to extend his winning streak to three in a row overall when he returns at UFC 331. In addition to the main and co-main events, the rest of the UFC 331 card was also announced, although the full bout order is still to be determined. Take a look below at all of the fights now official for UFC 331 in Los Angeles on Sept. 19 MAIN EVENT: Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja CO-MAIN EVENT: Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy Patricio Pitbull vs. Dooho Choi Renato Moicano vs. Brian Ortega Alonzo Menifield vs. Iwo Baraniewski Gable Steveson vs. Sean Sharaf Marlon Vera vs. Charles Jourdain Tai Tuivasa vs. Robelis Despaigne Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Brunno Ferreira Giga Chikadze vs. Joanderson Brito Casey O’Neill vs. Eduarda Moura Ryan Gandra vs. Ozzy Diaz Michael Aswell Jr. vs. Joosang Yoo

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A flyweight title rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja will headline UFC 331 in September, officials announced Thursday.

ESPNby Brett Okamoto
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The flyweight title rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja will headline UFC 331.

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