Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2 full fight video highlights

Joshua Van successfully retained his UFC flyweight title at UFC 331 on September 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, defeating challenger Alexandre Pantoja via unanimous decision with scores of 49–46, 49–47, and 50–45. Van (17–2) and Pantoja (30–6) contested a five-round war for championship gold, with the reigning titleholder controlling the majority of the bout through superior striking volume and accuracy despite Pantoja's relentless pressure and grappling efforts.

Pantoja opened aggressively with early takedowns and aggressive ground work, but Van escaped early and began establishing distance and his jab. The champion's boxing acumen became increasingly apparent as the fight progressed, with Van landing sharp combinations while Pantoja struggled to generate meaningful damage from top position. A clash of heads in round two drew the cageside physician but was ruled accidental, and Pantoja emerged from the examination to continue his assault.

By round three, Van pulled away on the scorecards with superior volume and cleaner combinations, even as Pantoja remained game and continued his aggressive forward pressure. Round four saw Pantoja land another takedown but fail to capitalize, while Van's early striking dominated the round. In the fifth, a massive right hand briefly dropped Pantoja, and Van pressed his advantage through the final minute despite Pantoja's continued willingness to trade in the pocket. The victory marked Van's successful first title defense following his shocking 26-second injury victory over Pantoja at UFC 323.