After a 26-Second Fight Injury: Van and Pantoja Meet Again...

The long-awaited rematch for the UFC flyweight championship has been officially confirmed. Reigning champion Joshua Van will face former titleholder Alexandre Pantoja in the main event of UFC 331.

The event will take place on September 19, U.S. time, at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. Due to the time difference, the main event is expected to take place in the early hours of September 20 in Uzbekistan .

The first fight lasted just 26 seconds

The fighters first met at UFC 323 on December 6, 2025. Pantoja defended his championship that night, while Van challenged for a UFC title for the first time in his career.

However, the full fight fans had expected never materialized. At 26 seconds, Pantoja suffered a serious injury to his hand and elbow area. Unable to continue, the Brazilian was declared to have lost by technical knockout, and Van claimed the championship. The UFC’s official result recorded the defeat as a “technical knockout due to injury.”

For that reason, the first meeting was not regarded as a fight that proved Van was superior to Pantoja. Instead, the unexpected injury left the central question between the two fighters unanswered.

Van defended the title and answered the doubts

Joshua Van responded to criticism that he had won the championship by chance in his next fight. In May 2026, he made the first defense of his title in a five-round bout against Tatsuro Taira.

The Myanmar-born fighter stopped his opponent with strikes at 1:32 of the fifth round. Van showed that he could compete in a high-tempo championship fight over the full distance and remain dangerous in the late rounds.

The UFC’s current official profile lists Van’s professional record as 17 wins and 2 losses. Nine of his victories have come by knockout and two more by submission. Therefore, the 21–2 record cited in some reports does not match the UFC’s official statistics.

For Pantoja, this is more than a routine rematch

Alexandre Pantoja had been one of the division’s most consistent champions before the first fight. His loss to Van ended an eight-fight winning streak.

The Brazilian is one of the record holders in UFC flyweight history with 14 victories. Twelve of his professional wins have come by submission, highlighting how dangerous Pantoja is on the ground. His official UFC profile lists his record as 30–6.

Because Pantoja did not lose the title in a full fight, he immediately called for a rematch. Now, in his first fight after the injury, he will have the chance to reclaim his championship.

Two completely different styles collide

Van’s main strengths are his high pace, high volume of strikes and ability to maintain pressure throughout the rounds. UFC statistics show that he lands an average of 8.43 significant strikes per minute.

Pantoja, meanwhile, is one of the division’s most experienced fighters at taking opponents to the ground, taking their back and pursuing submission finishes. He may look to exploit Van’s aggression by seeking clinches or takedowns at close range.

The reigning champion’s main task will be to stop Pantoja’s grappling and keep the fight standing. The former champion, meanwhile, must avoid being trapped under Van’s speed and striking volume for long periods.

Five rounds will answer the question left unresolved after 26 seconds

The fighters did not even have time to reveal their game plans in the first encounter. That is why the UFC 331 rematch will be contested not only for the title, but also to answer all the questions that arose after that bout.

Van wants to defeat Pantoja in a full fight and prove that he is the division’s true champion. Pantoja, meanwhile, will try to show that he lost the title not in combat, but because of an unfortunate injury.

While the first meeting lasted 26 seconds, this time the two fighters will have up to five rounds to determine who is truly the stronger man.

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