Van dominates Pantoja in rematch, defends flyweight title — SkimNews
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- Joshua Van (18-2) defended his UFC flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Alexandre Pantoja (30-7) at UFC 331 on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena, with judges scoring it 50-45, 49-46, and 49-47.
- Van dominated the stat sheet, defending 13 of Pantoja's 18 takedown attempts and out-landing him in total strikes 259 to 152.
- UFC 331 drew a sellout crowd of 19,357 and a live gate of $8.3 million, setting a Crypto.com Arena record and surpassing the previous $6.5 million mark set by a Bad Bunny concert in March 2024.
- Van, 24, was born in Myanmar and immigrated to the United States; he framed the rematch as erasing doubts that his first win was a fluke after Pantoja dislocated his elbow falling awkwardly to the canvas.
- Van saved his best round for last, dropping Pantoja with a right hand midway through the fifth round to put the result beyond doubt.
- Manel Kape (23-7) of Angola, riding a four-fight knockout streak, is the most obvious next challenger for Van, according to UFC CEO Dana White.
- Van made his second title defense of 2025, following a fifth-round knockout of Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328 in May.
Why it matters: Van's decisive rematch converts a 26-second injury fluke into a legitimate flyweight title reign and immediately sets up a marketable showdown with knockout artist Manel Kape. The $8.3 million venue-record gate and sellout suggest the 125-pound division now has its most bankable champion in years.
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