Paths to Victory: Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2

Joshua Van will defend his UFC flyweight title against Alexandre Pantoja in a rematch at UFC 331 on Saturday in Los Angeles. Van won the belt in December when Pantoja suffered a dislocated elbow early in their fight; he has since proven his legitimacy with a dominant title defense against Tatsuro Taira earlier this year. Pantoja, widely regarded as the second-greatest flyweight of all time, aims to reclaim the belt he lost to injury.

Van's path to victory hinges on keeping the fight standing and exploiting his elite striking volume and output. The 24-year-old fighter, often compared to Max Holloway for his high-paced boxing style, must avoid getting taken down and moved to back control—a position where Pantoja excels. When grounded, Van needs to use active escapes to return to his feet quickly. Offensively, Van should continue the body-work strategy that proved effective against Taira, as Pantoja's durability, while excellent, can be worn down over time.

For Pantoja to regain the title, pure striking exchanges favour Van, so the challenger should employ kicks at range to score, then transition into clinch work and takedowns when Van closes the distance. Pantoja's relentless aggression and willingness to brawl could disrupt Van's rhythm, though Van has shown comfort in exchanges. The critical questions heading into Saturday are whether Van's extraordinarily high fight pace—eight fights in two years—will catch up to him at the championship level, and whether Pantoja, 12 years Van's senior, can keep up with a young, improving fighter.

Joshua Van def. Alexandre Pantoja via unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-45)