Joshua Van answers ‘accident win’ critics after UFC 331 rematch

Joshua Van silenced critics of his championship credentials by decisively defeating Alexandre Pantoja in a UFC 331 title rematch at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Judges scored the bout 49-46, 49-47, and 50-45 in Van's favour, with both fighters earning Fight of the Night honours for their five-round war.

The pair's first encounter last year ended controversially when an arm injury forced the referee to stop the bout early in the first round, handing Van the flyweight title under circumstances that invited questions about whether he was truly the division's best. Van mounted one unsuccessful title defence against Tatsuro Taira before their rematch, leaving doubt about his standing among 125-pounders while Pantoja recovered.

This time, Van left no room for debate. He dominated Pantoja with significant striking while defending the Brazilian's grappling attacks effectively. Van attempted a submission of his own but Pantoja managed an escape. In his post-fight interview, Van addressed the sceptics directly: "A lot of people say that was an accident win the first time. Now, doubt me now." He praised Pantoja as a tough, difficult opponent to finish, and expressed respect for his opponent's resilience.